THE RAINY SEASON. 193 



continued for a still more extraordinary long season. 

 This evil was also charged to their unlucky visitors, 

 many old monks having denounced the appearance 

 of the white men as being the threatening harbinger 

 of some coming evil. 



On making some inquiries respecting the com- 

 mencement of the rainy season, Walderheros and 

 others, whom I questioned, stated the first day was 

 generally considered to be St. Michael's-day, the 

 eighteenth of June, when the King distributes the 

 yearly clothing to his courtiers and slaves. This 

 custom may, in some measure, be determined by 

 the commencement of the rains, and in that case 

 the observation of the natives differs but slightly 

 from those of the English missionaries. 



A severe thunder storm, attended by two distinct 

 shocks of an earthquake, at an interval of a few 

 seconds, ushered in the first heavy fall of rain. Xo 

 very serious consequences resulted ; a few rocks 

 were detached from the heights above, blocking up 

 the narrow road to Ankobar in some places, and in 

 others, ploughing deep channels through the young 

 green crops. A few days previously to this convul- 

 sion, the town of Ankobar, and the ridge on each 

 side of it, had been enveloped in clouds, that hung 

 low down the precipitous cliffs like immensely large 

 festooned curtains, which were now raised, and 

 again lowered, as the morning, mid-day, or after- 

 noon sun acted differently upon the temperature of 

 the atmosphere. 



VOL. II. o 



