188 DROUGHT. 



and widespread lakes to drear morasses, encircled by a 

 blackened margin, which is exposed by the receding of 

 the waters. Shallow ponds are completely dried, and the 

 fishes are dead and stiffened in the marl which has been 

 baked in the sun. The aquatic plants lift up tlieir long, 

 blackened stems out of the nrnd, showing the former 

 height of the water, that has sunken away from them. 

 We look round in vain for the usual wild-flowers of the 

 season ; they remain blighted and stationary in their 

 growth, and refuse to put forth their blossoms. The 

 whole landscape wears the aspect of a desert ; for even 

 the dews have fled, and the evening air is dry and sultry. 



The sallow hues of autumn rest upon the brows of sum- 

 mer, like the paleness and wrinkles of age upon a crew 

 that are perishing with starvation and thirst. We find 

 no wet places in the meadows, and even the brooksides 

 can hardly be traced by their greener vegetation. The 

 forest-trees at last begin to suffer ; and on the wooded 

 hill-tops we see here and there a group of trees completely 

 browned or blackened in their foliage, some being dead, and 

 others having gone into a state of premature hibernation. 

 The animals suffer no less than the vegetables on which 

 they are dependent. The birds are languid and restless, 

 and do not sing with their accustomed spirit. The squir- 

 rels make longer journeys in search of their food, and the 

 hare finds it difficult to obtain sustenance from the dried 

 and tasteless herbs and clover. The chirping insects are 

 dumb and motionless for the w^ant of food ; for every ten- 

 der herb is sear and dry, and multitudes of creatures are 

 hourly perishing with famine. 



At this time man watches anxiously for the weather- 

 signs, looking often up to heaven for some kind assur- 

 ances of relief ; but there is no truth in any of the usual 

 omens. The tree-toads from the neighborimz orchard — 

 the weather's faithful augurs — by an occasional feeble 



