THUNDER, LIGHTNING, AND RAIN. 413 



different directions. Before we had progressed a mile, 

 I noticed very dark clouds rising in the south-west, and 

 soon after became convinced that I heard distant thun- 

 der, the muttering of which was like the sound of wild 

 waves washing a far-off strand. A flash of vivid lurid 

 lightning, with forked, erratic course, now rushed down 

 to the earth, and the distant hills of Bamanwatto, 

 previously seen indistinctly in the distance, became 

 obscured. 



I feared we were in for a storm, but did not wish 

 to outspan alone where I was, so ordered the guide to 

 hurry on the cattle, so as to be as far from the vley as 

 possible before we should be forced to halt ; for your 

 oxen must not treck in wet, else their shoulders will soon 

 become galled. 



The bullocks had wonderfully freshened up with 

 their rest and an abundant supply of water, so stepped 

 out blithely. 



But that grand and awe-inspiring voice of nature 

 became louder and louder, and the lightning blazed 

 forth as if the heavens would split in twain, yet no 

 rain had fallen upon us. An hour and a half thus 

 passed, and the whole landscape commenced to darken, 

 for the black, voluminous clouds almost kissed the earth, 

 and shut out as effectually as would a pall the faintest 

 glimmer of light. 



At length there was a pause, and all nature seemed 

 hushed in awe, fearing to breathe, lest the sound of 

 respiration should hurry the end of the respite, when 

 the electric fluid, with a brilliancy such as I never saw 

 before, descended in a dozen forked lines into the neigh- 

 bouring velt ; and with it came the thunder, awful in 

 its deep intonation, grand in its power, terrifying in its 



