A THUNDER-STORM. 257 



gloom. Distant rumbling of thunder portended a 

 coming storm, reminding me that I had better make 

 all snug, as a dirty night was at hand. 



I soon found a prostrate monarch of the forest, 

 under whose side I expected to find comparative 

 shelter ; in a short space I had gathered sufficient 

 debris and flammable matter to make a fire, deter- 

 mining to sacrifice one of my ducks to the im- 

 placable tormentor, hunger. Out of the few m itches 

 I had, four missed, or would not light ; but two more 

 remained. With what care and anxiety did I try the 

 others ! Alas ! the head of No. 5 flew off, and but 

 one remained to save me from Erebus, and the in- 

 cursions of some erratic midnight prowler. With 

 the utmost care I undertook the trying ordeal of 

 squeezing myself into a corner, sheltering my hands 

 with my cap, and sacrificing a portion of the la^t 

 letter from my lady-love for trader ; success rewarde 1 

 me, and soon the surroundings were brought out in 

 deep relief by the brilliant glow, reminding me of the 

 deep contrast of light and shadow in one of the much- 

 admired pictures by Rembrandt. The rain was not 

 long delayed, and after a few premonitory drops, came 

 down as if the flood-gates of heaven had been opened, 

 accompanied by the loudest thunder and most 

 dazzling lightning. There is nothing that more power- 

 fully impresses man with the omnipotent power of the 

 Creator, or with his own utter insignificance, than 

 being placed alone, unprotected from the warring 

 elements, listening to the dismemberment of limbs 

 from the parent tree-trunks by the fury of the blast, 

 or the scathing power of the electric fluid. All my 

 efforts to keep a good fire were futile sleep was out 



s 



