RATS. 209 



and who only turned themselves over to present the other 

 sides of their faces and bodies when the rats returned, 

 and thought it a good joke. The fiercest encounter 

 which I ever had with them was during one of those 

 terrific storms which are more furious between the 

 tropics than elsewhere. I was then, however, under the 

 Equator, in a native hut, and heard an exceeding rust- 

 ling and movement all around me. To my terror I 

 perceived that these proceeded from a number of rats 

 running up and down the sides of the room in which I 

 was to pass the night, and who shortly began to run over 

 me, they being disturbed by the torrents of rain which 

 were then falling. The only weapon I could find was a 

 shoe, and curling myself into a large arm-chair taken out 

 of a French vessel, and covered with blue satin damask, 

 I sat prepared for my enemies, whom I dreaded much 

 more than the lightning, which was flashing across the 

 iron bars laid upon the floor. I felt that the silk of my 

 place of refuge was some sort of protection against this ; 

 but my own arm could alone save me from my four-footed 

 foes. Presently my husband came in, and saluted me 

 with a shout of laughter, which, however, abated when 

 he saw my antagonists. The storm lulled for a while, 

 and the rats retreated. We then crept within the curtains 

 of bamboo cloth which encircled a rude imitation of a four- 

 post bedstead, but I kept possession of my shoe. Weary 

 with watching, I closed my eyes, but was awakened by a 

 tremendous flash of lightning, immediately followed by 

 awful thunder and a tumultuous rush of rats. Some of 

 them scrambled up the outside of the curtains ; but, arms 

 in hand, I sat up, and directed by the noise, I hurled the 

 invaders to the ground, till at length resistance and the 

 passim? away of the storm allowed me to sleep in peace. 



