56 HILLS AND LAKES. 



west had overspread the heavens. The lightning be- 

 gan to play most vividly, illuminating both forest and 

 lake for an instant, with perfect distinctness, and then 

 leaving all in obscurity, impenetrable as Egyptian 

 darkness. The deep voice of the thunder, growled 

 and rumbled, like an earthquake, in the distance. 

 A low mysterious moaning was heard in the forest 

 around us, such as always precedes a storm, as if the 

 old forest trees were whispering together, of the 

 danger that was approaching. Louder and louder, 

 grew the voice of the thunder. The lightning flashed 

 and played along the surface of the lake, lighting it 

 almost in a continuous blaze. Anon the pattering of 

 the big drops of rain upon the forest leaves, and upon 

 the surface of the water, was heard, and in a few 

 minutes the storm was upon us. The rain poured in 

 torrents ; the lightnings flashed around us, while the 

 booming thunders echoed among the mountains. We 

 were securely sheltered, . and there was sublimity in 

 the warring elements around us. In an hour the 

 storm moved on. Its roar receded into silence. The 

 stars looked out in their brightness and the night 

 voices were again lifted up, as if rejoicing that the 

 tempest had passed away. 



