OR, PLAIN TEACHING. 



149 



ments — lightning, thunder, and 

 tempest ; and the rain which it 

 brings, though falling for some 

 time at intervals only, gradually 

 becomes a continuous deluge. 

 These rains, however, though 

 excessive are highly beneficial ; 

 refreshing the earth, invigorating 

 vegetation, and cooling and puri- 

 fying the atmosphere. 



By the rains, and the sudden 

 melting of hill snows, the country 



is liable to inundations, which 

 sometimes overspread the country 

 for hundreds of miles. In some 

 of the wilder districts of Bengal, 

 when the inundations occur, 

 thousands of wild animals are 

 drowned, or perish from hunger ; 

 and birds, serpents, leopards, and 

 other animals seek to escape from 

 the floods by climbing into the 

 trees,' 15, where, unable to attack" 

 each other, they starve. 



470. 



In the British Indian settle- 

 ments there are many magnificent 

 cities, including Agra, Delhi, 

 Lucknow, Benhares, Hyderabad, 

 &c. 



In the city of Agra, 16, there 

 is a splendid Mausoleum, built 



by the Shah Noon Jehan, as 

 the sepulchre of his favourite 

 wife. This is one of the most 

 magnificent pieces of Asiatic 

 architecture, and costly elabora- 

 tion of detail to be found in India, 

 if indeed it is to be equalled in 



