186 WASTE-LAND WANDERINGS. 



ried by the effect of sudden puffs of wind which con- 

 verted the rain into mist-like particles that penetrated 

 everywhere, even under my boat. Once the wind gath- 

 ered the descending waters and produced of them a min- 

 iature water-spout. This shot erratically up the creek, 

 leaving a white line of bubbles that marked its zigzag 

 track. But once in my life did I ever see it rain more 

 violently. 



Interesting as was this shower, viewed under such cir- 

 cumstances, I was more struck by the effects that the 

 thunder had upon the fishes than by anything else that 

 I saw. The lightning played about me at uncomforta- 

 bly short distances, and a large tulip-tree, not many rods 

 away, was somewhat shattered. But of the fishes: at 

 every clap hundreds came suddenly to the surface, and 

 the small minnows leaped several inches above it. This 

 was not an occasional but a uniform effect of the thun- 

 der. I have been on and near this and other creeks be- 

 fore during showers, but never saw this effect produced 

 upon fish to anything like the same extent. 



After the shower passed, by the dim light of a cloudy 

 sunset I hunted for fishes that I thought might have 

 been killed by the concussions that shook them up so 

 thoroughly, but found none ; and so, while I could yet 

 see, sought for a cluster of bushes, wherein to leave my 

 boat for the night. 



I have referred to a harder shower than this of to-day. 

 It occurred on August 24, 1877 ; and although its force 

 was largely spent upon meadows three or four miles 

 away, it may properly be included among the eventful 

 occurrences of this creek's valley. 



