A MOUNTAIN STORM. 159 



woman at the moment was performing an act of devotion, on 

 her bare knees, making an occasional pause, to offer up a 

 prayer and drop a bead from her rosary. 



The valley had a solemn and imposing character ; every- 

 thing about it was lonely and desolate. No traces of human 

 visits were discernible; no pathway led to the ruin, all was 

 deep unbroken solitude ; a hallowed and melancholy spot, 

 where the living seldom presumed to approach the mansions 

 of the dead. 



The breeze fell, the air became unusually oppressive, the 

 hill behind robbed us of the little wind that still partially 

 cooled the sultry atmosphere ; a distant muttering among the 

 mountains was faintly heard, and a sound like a rising stream, 

 was audible. Suddenly, a black cloud rose like magic upon 

 the summit of the mountain, and a flash of light succeeded. 

 " The storrn is on/' said my kinsman, and leaving the atten- 

 dants to discuss the fragments of the feast, where they might 

 best obtain shelter, we hurried down the hill, and couched 

 beneath the ruins of the chapel. 



There is more grandeur in an Alpine storm, than can be 

 imagined by those wiio have not witnessed its effect. As 

 the thunder crashes over the hills, and miles away is rever- 

 berated from the opposite mountains, the loneliness of the 

 wilderness is in fine keeping with the anger of the elements. 

 'The rain-drops now fell faster quick and vivid flashes burst 

 from the southern heavens, and roll after roll succeeded, like 

 sustained discharges of artillery. The dogs, in evident alarm, 

 cowered at our feet, soliciting mortal protection from what, 

 instinct told them, were the visitations of an awful power. 

 Suddenly, one prolonged and terrific crash burst overhead 

 a deluge of rain descended and rapidly as it came on the 

 storm passed away the peals became fewer and more distant, 

 and in five minutes died in sullen murmurs among the distant 

 hills. I 



" Is not this, indeed, sublimity?" said my kinsman, as 

 he broke a silence of some minutes. " To convey ideas of 

 the grand and terrible, give me a storm in the mountains, 

 and let it be viewed thus : sheltered bv the ivied walls of 



are, at this time begin to reassume their former practice." Macfar- 

 *>ne > MSS. 



