A YOUNG NATURALIST. 



139 



that of waves beating against a cliff ; branches broke off 

 with an uproar sounding like a series of gun-shots, and the 

 leaves, driven by the wind, covered us with their debris. 

 Every now and then an inexplicable and increasing hoarse 

 rumbling filled my mind with anxiety. I listened, holding 

 my breath with fear ; the rumbling seemed to approach, 

 as if bringing with it new and unknown perils. Then sud- 

 denly, prevailing over the tumult, a formidable crash made 

 itself heard, followed by a shock prolonged by the echoes ; 

 it was the fall of some forest giant, vanquished by the hurri- 

 cane. Sometimes one might have fancied that a multitude 

 of men were fighting together in the darkness that no eye 

 could pierce ; there were plainly to be recognized the wild 

 cries of the conflict and the plaintive moans of the wound- 

 ed; and then, again, a fresh shock shook the earth, and 

 deadened the outburst of the mighty lament. 



I must confess that at this moment I bitterly regretted 

 having brought Lucien; I remembered that my friends 

 had predicted to me all the perils which now threatened us. 

 While listening to the uproar of the tempest, I felt my reso- 

 lution give way, and I had serious thoughts of returning to 

 Orizava the next day. 



Towards midnight the storm abated a little, and, giving 

 way to fatigue, I fell asleep. 



I had only just closed my eyes when I suddenly jumped 

 up again, deafened as if by a hundred claps of thunder join- 

 ed in one. The darkness was as thick as ever, and the wind 

 was still more boisterous ; the echo of the fallen tree had 

 scarcely died away before another colossus groaned and 

 fell. My companions were now all awake. 



" What's the matter, M. Sumichrast ?" asked Lucien, in a 

 low tone. 



" It is a hurricane, my boy." 



" One might fancy that a giant was passing through the 



