122 THE LAKE REGIONS OF CENTRAL AFRICA. 



presently returned back with pots of the palm-oil, for 

 which this is the principal depot. 



On the 10th May the sky was dull and gloomy, the 

 wind was hushed, the " rain-sun " burnt with a sickly 

 and painful heat ; the air was still and sultry, stifling 

 and surcharged, while the glimmerings of lurid lightning 

 and low mutterings from the sable cloud-banks lying 

 upon the northern horizon, cut by light masses of mist 

 in a long unbroken line, and from the black arch rising 

 above the Acroceraurian hills to the west, disturbed at 

 times the death-like silence. Even the gulls on the 

 beach forefelt a storm. I suggested a halt, but the 

 crews were now in a nervous hurry to reach their homes, 

 — impatience mastered even their prudence. 



We left Mzimu at sunset, and for two hours coasted 

 along the shore. It was one of those portentous 

 evenings of the tropics — a calm before a tempest — 

 unnaturally quiet ; we struck out, however, boldly to- 

 wards the eastern shore of the Tanganyika, and the 

 western mountains rapidly lessened on the view. Before, 

 however, we reached the mid-channel, a cold gust — in 

 these regions the invariable presage of a storm — swept 

 through the deepening shades cast by the heavy rolling 

 clouds, and the vivid nimble lightning flashed, at first 

 by intervals, then incessantly, with a ghastly and blinding 

 glow, illuminating the " vast of night," and followed by 

 a palpable obscure, and a pitchy darkness, that weighed 

 upon the sight. As terrible was its accompaniment of 

 rushing, reverberating thunder, now a loud roar, peal 

 upon peal, like the booming of heavy batteries, then 

 breaking into a sudden crash, which was presently 

 followed by a rattling discharge like the sharp pattering 

 of musketry. The bundles of spears planted upright 

 amidships, like paratonnerres, seemed to invite the electric 



