364 THE RAINS. 



the thunder ceased, and for ten minutes there was 

 a respite, the sky growing more wild and eerie every 

 moment. What with the fury of sky and sea, the 

 horses became so panic-stricken as to be almost 

 beyond our control. Then the sun, after being 

 long hidden, showed himself low down on the 

 waves for it was already five o'clock, and owing 

 to the storm nearly as dark as night. In shining 

 out now he only added to the horrors of the scene 

 the most ghastly purple face ever sun put on. And 

 no wonder, for he was peering through a hailstorm, 

 which soon reached us, whitening the waves with 

 its volleys of ice-bullets as it advanced. 



Never before or since have I seen such a hail- 

 storm. The stones gave us positive pain as they 

 struck our faces and hands, and were as large on 

 the average as the bullets of my ' express.' Mean- 

 while the thunderstorm had commenced anew, and, 

 while the lightning flashed with extreme bril- 

 liancy so near us as to be dangerous, the voice of 

 the thunder almost drowned all other sounds. 

 Alas! in the intervals between the thunderclaps 

 we now began to hear another voice the voice of 

 gurgling, fighting waters, and of the heavy stones 

 and tree-trunks whirled along by them in their 

 fierce career seaward. 



When at last the stream came in sight, its 

 appearance was no more inviting than its voice ; 

 but from its great breadth for a mountain stream, I 



