Meise in Brasilien, 185 



torn from the stems, and massy trees are overthrown ; the 

 terrible hurricane ravishes all the remaining virgin charms of 

 the levelled and devastated plants. But wherefore regret their 

 fate ? Have they not lived and bloomed ? Has not the Tnga 

 twisted together its already emptied stamens? Have not the gol- 

 den petals fallen from the fructified blossoms of the Banister/flr, 

 and has not the fruit-loaded ^'rum yielded its faded spathe to 

 the storm ? The terrors of this eventful horn* fall heavily even 

 on the animal world. The feathered inhabitants of the woods 

 are struck dumb, and flutter about in dismay on the ground ; 

 myriads of insects seek shelter under leaves and trunks of 

 trees. The wild Mammalia are tamed, and suspend their 

 work of war and carnage ; the cold-blooded Amphibia alone 

 rejoice in the overwhelming deluge, and millions of snakes 

 and frogs, which swarm in the flooded meadows, raise a chorus 

 of hissing and croaking. Streams of muddy water flow 

 through the narrow paths of the forests into the river, or pour 

 into the cracks and chasms of the soil. The temperature 

 continues to descend, and the clouds gradually empty them- 

 selves. 



" But at length a change takes place, and the storm which 

 lately raged so furiously is over. The sun shines forth with 

 renovated splendour through long extended masses of clouds, 

 which gradually disperse towards the horizon on the north 

 and south, assuming, as in the morning, light vapoury forms, 

 and hemming the azure basis of the firmament. A smiling 

 deep blue sky now gladdens the earth, and the horrors of the 

 past are speedily forgotten. In an hour no trace of the storm 

 is visible ; the plants, dried by the warm sunbeams, rear their 

 heads with renewed freshness, and the different kinds of ani- 

 mals obey, as before, their respective instincts and propen- 

 sities. 



" Evening approaches, and new clouds appear between the 

 white flaky fringes of the horizon. They diffuse over the 

 landscape tints of violet and pale yellow, which harmoniously 

 blend the lofty forests in the back-ground with the river and 

 the sea. The setting sun, surrounded by hues of variegated 

 beauty, now retires through the western portals of the firma- 

 ment, leaving all nature to love and repose. The soft twilight 

 of evening awakens new sensations in animals and plants, and 

 buzzing sounds prove that the gloomy recesses of the woods 

 are full of life and motion. Love-sighs are breathed through 

 the fragrant perfumes of newly collap^^d flowers, and all ani- 

 mated nature feels the influence of this moment of voluptuous 

 tranquillity. Scattered gleams of light, reflected splendours of 

 the departing sun, still float upon the woodland ridges; while. 



