180 MONSOONS. 



the other half from north-east to south-west, and are the 

 great distributers of its rain and modifiers of its cUmate. 

 The most remarkable rainy season is that called the south- 

 west monsoon. It extends from Afjica to the peninsula of 

 Malacca, and deluges all the countries within certain lines 

 of latitude for about four months of the year. In the 

 southern parts of India this monsoon commences about the 

 nennning of June, but it gets later as we advance towards 

 the north. Its approach, says Mr. Elphinstone, is gene- 

 rally announced by vast masses of clouds that rise from 

 the Indian Ocean and advance towards the north-east, ga- 

 thering and thickening as they come near the land. After 

 some tlireatening days the sky assumes a troubled appear- 

 ance in the evenings, and the monsoon in general sets in 

 durincr the night. It is attended by thunder-storms far ex- 

 ceeding in intensity those of temperate regions. It gene- 

 rally begins with violent blasts of wind, which are succeeded 

 by floods of rain. For some hours lightning is seen almost 

 without intermission; sometimes it only illuminates the 

 sky, and shows the clouds near the horizon ; at others it 

 discovers the distant hills, and again leaves all m darkness, 

 when in an instant it reappears in vivid and successive 

 flashes, and exhibits the nearest objects in all the bright- 

 ness of day. During all this time thunder never ceases to 

 roll, and is only silenced by some nearer peal, which bursts 

 on the ear with such a sudden and tremendous crash as can 

 scarcely fail to strike the most insensible heart with awe.* 

 At length the thunder ceases, and nothing is heard but the 

 continued pouring of the rain and the rushing of the rising 

 streams. The next day presents a gloomy spectacle ; the 

 rain still descends in torrents, and scarcely allows a view 

 of the blackened fields ; the rivers are swollen and discol- 

 oured, and sweep down along with them the hedges, the 

 huts, and the remains of the cultivation which was carried 

 on during the dry season in their beds. 



* To persons Mr. Elphinstone says, -who have long resided in India, 

 these storms lose mucti of their grandeur ; yet they sometimes rise to 

 such a pitch as to make an impression on those most habiiuated to them. 

 He was told by a gentleman who had been for some time m Malabar, 

 theproNince most distinguished for the violence of the monsoon, that he 

 there heard a clap of thunder which produced a silence of a mmute in a 

 large party of officers, aad made a great part of the company turn paJe. 



