The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-04-26
AN EQUATORIAL STORM.
A Vivid Description OF It's Approach The
breaking OF the Tempesf-Terror
OF the Animal World.

beneath with his perpendicular rays.
Under his scorching favor the plants
fairly CULVER. Self-lost. they yield
themselves 10 his mighty attraction.
Gold-winged beetles and hnmmingbirds
buzz or hum joyfully nearer. In the
liyeliest display of colors gay and bril-
liant butterflies and dragonilies near
the river bank engage in wanton sport.
The pathway swarms with ants. which,
in long extended lines are dragging
leaves to the structures they are SO in-
dustriously erecting NoNious animals.
too. feel the fierce glow and unwonted
attraction OF the midday sun. The
crocodile mounts upward from out of
his hiding-place in the deep ooze OF the
river-bed and stretches at full length
upon the burning sands. TortoiSes
aud lizards creep out of their damp
and shady retreats. Handsomely va
riegated as we'll as dusky-colored SER
penis crawl along the warm and bril-
liantly lighted pathways.
And now at length the clouds begin
10 lower, forming themselves vertical
IN In huge. separate strata, while ever
heavier thicker. gloomier. they SUR
zenith they tower upward in enormous
widespread masses. clear shining in
marked contrast to the clouds of deep
leaden hue on the horizon. A beauti-
full image of gigantic mountains is seen
in the air. Suddenly the whole heavens
become overcast, aud only here and
there appears patch OF deep blue sky
between contiguous clouds. The sun
conceals himself. Fiercer than ever.
however. glows the furnace heat OF the
atmosphere over the landscape.
Midday is past. In awful. gloomy.
melancholy suspense, hangs the dismal
hour. biz With terrible consequences.
over all nature. Deeper and deeper
grows the gloom. More and more aw-
ful the suspense. as woe to be brought
forth. which the air OF the day has
gendered.
Driven by hunger and thirst. the
wild beasts roam hither aud thither in
anxiety, as looking for the coming of
some terrible calamity; only the quiet.
sluggish animals concealed in the deep
shades OF the forest have no PRESENT.
mcnt that "A mighty crisis Is al hand
even nj their very doors. The crisis can
not be- avoided. With rapid strides
approaches the storm. SO soon To break
forth in Irresistible violence upon the
expectant earth beneath. The tenn
perature Of the air rapidly descends.
The winds arise from every quarter of
the heavens and engage IN fierce con-
tcntion. They root mp the forest.
They lash the sea into foam a sea that
ever blackcr aud more awful grows
beneath the dark and angry clouds
overhead. while the loud. rushing tor
rents that plunge in its bosom (whose
very roar II drowned in the fierce.
whislling wind). grows dark and black
rs night. while they seem 10 empty
therein without the slightest noise
each like a very Phlegcthom river
OF hell!
The storm breaks Twice. thrice
tears u streak OF fawn-colorcd light
ming through the dark background Of
clouds. Twice. thrice. rolls the thun-
der with long-continued and steady
trembling through the quakiug sky.
Drops fall. The plant world RECEIVERS
from It's exhaustion. Another peal
sharper. heavier than before. rs though
the whole heavens were falling ia one
tremendous crash that shakes the
world II is no longer rain that falls
but the VERY fountains OF the upper
deep are opened aud pour out thcir
contents from the bending heavens.
The forest OF gigantic trees SWAPS and
sighs. while the llsping. rnstling sound
of the leaves has increased 10 a roar.
striking the ear somewhat like the duh
rolling OF a distant drum. Flowers
shake. Leaves fall. Torn-of branches
and sieams are precipitated TO the
ground or are driven through the air
by the violence OF the wind. The hur-
rcane snatchcs away the last charm of
yirginty from the PROSTATE plant
forms. And why not? Have they not
bloomed and loved? Does the lnga
curl together alone Us cmptied gmas?
Does the Banistery alone allow is
golden sepals TO fall from IT. already
fertilZcd calyN? Does the stock Of the
Arum plant. heavy with fruit, give
alone lis wthered husks As a prize TO
the tempest
The animal world. too. feels the eff
feet of the awful hour an hour of
fright and terror TO the stoutest aud
widest OF beasts. Dumb. terrified. the
fcathered tribes iluttcr ON the ground.
Filled with fear. seek the myriads of
insects safely beneath the leaves or
fallen trunks 81 trees. Dissuaded from
combat aud dealing Of death. ravenous
beasts cease from following their prey.
The cold-bloodcd amphibians alone re-
joice IN the descending Hoods. for nj
intervals in the storm can be heard the
large chorn~ of frog, and toads croak
forth their hoarse but not unpleasant
music from the water meadows.