146 AUGUST 



an arc of 8 or 9 inches or more ! This is even 

 quicker than the Thunbergia, or the Ipomea, who 

 both belong to the "fast set" among the flowers. 



I was always under the impression that light- 

 ning did not strike during rain. Last year a large 

 old Casuarina tree was blown down in a cyclone on 

 to the north wall. This was one of a row of five 

 that must have been planted when the house was 

 built, so tall and old were they. In falling it de- 

 stroyed a great part of the wall. It was found that 

 the roots of these old trees had so undermined the 

 foundation, that the whole of them would have to 

 be cut down before the wall could be rebuilt. Now 

 the difficulty was to find men to do it. Months 

 elapsed before the work began, and there have we 

 been all this time exposed to the road, and the 

 immigrations of goats, dogs, jackals, donkeys, and 

 buffaloes. In June the felling began, and the last 

 tree was being attacked yesterday. 



Suddenly a heavy thunderstorm came on, the 

 rain poured in a deluge, driving the woodcutters 

 down from the tree. It was fortunate for them 

 they had descended, for a terrific flash came, strik- 

 ing the trunk of that very tree, and ripping the 



