CHAPTEE XIV. 



I LIGHT THE FRAGRANT FIRE. 



The charms of solitude — Millions of frogs — Scissorstails and swal- 

 lowtails — God-birds and goatsuckers — Monarch of all I sur- 

 veyed — The wrens and the whip snake — Crusoe and I agree. 



I WAS awakened, one morning, by the falling of 

 rain, which came down in a sudden torrent, thus an- 

 nouncing the real opening of the rainy season, about 

 the last of May. The temperature quickly changed 

 witli the weather, the hot dry days giving place to cool 

 damp ones. Kain fell all the forenoon, the country 

 was veiled in mist ; the stream which yesterday 1 

 could have leaped across was now swollen to a raging 

 torrent, and beyond the beach carried its turbulent 

 flood far out into the bay, in huge corrugated billows, 

 which tinged the sea the color of yellow earth for miles 

 away. 



There was no going out of doors that morning, so 

 I lighted a fire of fragrant gum-wood (more for its 

 company and incense than for warmth) and prepared 

 for a day with my books. At noon, however, the rain 

 held up as suddenly as it had arrived, and the forests 

 were so sweet and fresh, the singing of birds so in- 

 viting, that I went forth in quest of what I might find 

 that was new. 



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