preparations being made for a coming storm. Soon the forked lightening flashes among the clouds, the thunder rolls high over head, the sun is eclipsed with dust, and darkness prevails, rendering candles in the house indispensable.
The storm now breaks with great fury, unroofing houses, upsetting carriages, tearing up trees by the roots; the electric fluid not unfrequently striking the earth and causing loss of life. The first drops of rain hop upon the dust like globules of mercury, and had stones, as large as pigeons' eggs, come tumbling down like grape shot. Now the monsoon is begun in real earnest, and the arid soil drinks deep of its abundance by its thousand fissures. Few people can contain their joy upon this occasion, and many rush out bareheaded into the shower, and saturate their clothes to the skin before they return.
The thermometer which wont to stand about 90° or 96° now falls 10°, and if the rains continue abundant seldom rises above 80° at sunrise and 85° at noon. Strangers are apt to believe that during this season the rain pours down incessantly by night and day. But so far is this from being the case, that it seldom rains for twelve hours in succession, and on an average seldom more than six hours out of the twenty-four. The forenoons are generally dry. The greater part of the rain falls in the afternoon or at night, and two or
