I 



MY HOUSE AND GARDEN 19 



Bond Street. It was there known under the name of 

 " vitivert." 



The heat and the extreme dryness produce some 

 curious effects. Sealing-wax if left about becomes soft, 

 and bends and twists into all sorts of odd shapes ; a 

 sheet of paper placed on a table rolls up ; and one's 

 hair becomes electric like that of a cat : when brushed 

 it crackles and emits sparks. More singular still, the 

 country assumes something of the aspect which we 

 associate with the winter of the far North. There is 

 the same dim lurid sky, and the clouds of dust as they 

 sweep by recall recollections of the driving snow. The 

 appearance of the natives, the few who at this season 

 venture abroad, increases the resemblance. To protect 

 themselves from the terrible heat, they envelop their 

 heads in enormous turbans, and wrap round their 

 persons great cloaks wadded thick with cotton. 



But it is not only in appearance that this season 

 resembles winter : it produces also very similar effects 

 on certain forms of animal life. The frogs, the toads, 

 even some of the fishes, as the heat increases burrow 

 into the mud while it is still moist, and there lie torpid 

 till the rains recall them to life. 



The landscape, as I have said, has a dim wintry 

 aspect. Nevertheless the light is intense. Of its 

 intensity I shall hereafter give examples. At present 

 one will suffice. During the day all the outer doors 

 of the house are closely shut, both the window-doors 

 and also the green wooden ones beyond them. The 

 sunshine is further excluded by reed screens hung 

 along the outer side of the verandah. And yet, all 



