370 Scientific Intelligence. — Hydrology. 



in tlie rainy season, it is all but certain death to pass a night with- 

 out shelter, — of cruel grasses, with sword leaves, that gash tlie 

 hunter's limbs, — and giant weeds, " from ten to sixteen feet high" 

 {Scleria fiagellans is one of these) stinging with a fifty nettle 

 power ; — of these, we say, and many more, which must be left to 

 the reader's imagination. 



Not that these pains are without their compensations. To the 

 lover of nature, the spectacle of its lavish beauty, in all forms of 

 vegetable and winged life, is a delight inexhaustible in its " infinite 

 variety." Everything has some wondrous feature of vivacity, mag- 

 nitude, or luxuriance, of which North Europeans can form no idea 

 from descriptions, however animated. The sense is intoxicated with 

 perfumes. Colours of glowing splendour, and countless forms of 

 elegance or grandeur, dilate the eye with rapture. The ear is alter- 

 nately ravished and perplexed with the multitudinous forest voices. 

 The climate, in its better moods, is like the very breath of Paradise. 

 Nor are special exhibitions wanting at times to add solemnity or 

 provoke amazement. The blazing savannah, with its pillars of fire 

 and smoke, rushing with a vanguard of fiery tongues over plains 

 and hills, and drawing their contours in lines of living fire, is one of 

 these imposing night pictures. More splendid yet is the illumina- 

 tion of the forest, when one of its giants (say the Mora, a tree 130 

 feet high, and 10 feet in girth) is set on fire, and the flame, roar- 

 ing up through its hollow stem, gushes out above and over the upper 

 branches, which kindle into a stupendous candelabrum ; or, when 

 the conflagration is at its height, the whole tufted head blazing out 

 in a gerbe of fire, with myriad sparks driven far on high, presents 

 a show beside which the best pyrotechny of Europe would fade like 

 a rushlight. 



Scientific discovery, too, has its excitements and its rich rewards. 

 Many of the choicest treasures of nations have been detected for the 

 first time, and preserved for all time to come. The naturalist may 

 well be envied who can feel that he has not lived in vain. Nor less 

 useful and pleasurable is his labour in confirming doubtful points or 

 in removing error. As an instance, we may note with especial 

 praise an important chapter on the famous XJruri prism ; on which 

 all doubt has been set at rest by Mr Richard Schomburgk's inves- 

 tigations. — Athenceumf No. 1215, p. 165. 



HYDROLOGY. 



5. The Thunder of Waterfalls. — During these experiments a 

 circumstance repeatedly suggested itself, which, although a matter 

 of as common experience as the production of bubbles, has, so far 

 as I am aware of, hitherto escaped notice — I mean the origin of the 

 sound of agitated water. When the smoke is projected from the 



