78 A DEAFENING CRASH. 



of the upright corpse, which seemed to toss its arms 

 frantically as it vanished from their eyes. 



Abroad, the rain still hissed upon the turbid waters, 

 which had now risen eight or ten feet above their 

 former height, and rendered escape at present impos- 

 sible. Within, the cave was shrouded in darkness, in 

 which the figure of old Jake was dimly discernible as 

 he groped about among the packs of skins. Suddenly 

 a vivid light flashed through the gloom, startling the 

 party, gleaming on the rifle barrels, and revealing for 

 an instant the most distant corners of the cavern. 

 Almost simultaneously a deafening crash of thunder 

 bellowed through the gorge, completely overpowering 

 the roar of the torrent, and echoing with intensified 

 loudness from cliff to cliff, like the continued discharge 

 of batteries of heavy artillery. 



The comparative silence which followed this uproar 

 of nature seemed oppressive by the contrast, although 

 the stream still rushed on with unabated violence at 

 the height of twenty feet above its ordinary level. 

 After a lull of some minutes, a loud roll of thunder 

 again shook the air, immediately succeeded by light- 

 ning of intensest brilliancy. Flash followed flash in 

 rapid succession. The rain continued to descend even 

 more heavily than before. It was now late in the 

 afternoon, and the hunters began to feel hungry. They 

 had brought no food with them ; but, luckily, the cari- 

 boo hams were fresh, and each of the party habitually 

 carried about with him the means of making a fire. 



