10 
SCENES IN INDIA. 
ing sensation which is caused by the oppressive still- 
ness of the air, so well known in India whilst the 
monsoon prevails. This was not our only incon- 
venience ; insects of all kinds crept along the walls, 
and the most disagreeable reptiles crawled over our 
floors. Legions of ants, cockroaches, and lizards, were 
forced from their dark recesses by the torrents, and 
absolutely invaded us. Scorpions, toads, centipedes, 
and even snakes, made free entrance into our apart- 
ments, as if they had been Hindoo lazar-houses for the 
reception of wandering and homeless reptiles. The 
toads, centipedes, and snakes, we could manage to 
destroy, but the scorpions, lizards, ants, and cock- 
roaches, defied us by their numbers, and maintained 
a complete though not undisturbed possession of our 
chambers. 
Day after day the same scene was repeated with 
somewhat less violence, though at intervals the might 
of the hurricane was truly appalling ; but, during its 
occasional pauses, visits were paid and returned as 
usual, while those accustomed to the sight seemed 
almost to forget that there was any thing in these 
mighty jarrings of inanimate nature beyond its or- 
dinary conflicts. There are no doubt many parts of 
the world where, during the presence of hurricanes, 
the wind is more impetuous than during these peri- 
odical visitations in India ; but in none, I will venture 
to say, does the rain pour in such a mighty deluge, 
and in no place can the thunder and lightning be more 
terrific. 
The monsoon continued about two months, abating 
towards the middle of December, when the flag-staff 
