The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-07-10

poor displays by the side of equatorial
hurricanes. 1t sounds as II there was
continual roll Of artillery, accompanied
by flashes Of lightning. which cross and
recross, gathering force at every fresh
discharge and tenfold intensity every
second 1t is all the moro dangerous be-
cause all the clouds pass rapidly over
the trees without breaking, and the
lightning strikes their tops 10 times a
minute.
Gregorio, swift as tiger, fled with
all the speed he was capable Of. His ex-
perience of such storms told him that at
any moment the forest might be in
flames. He knew, too-Gnd this 1t was
that kept up his courage-that tempests
as furious as that which ragged over his
head were not Of long duration. Still
one flash OF lightning succeeded another
with more fury than ever. One moment
he heard clap Of thunder, the noise Of
which deafened him, then another still
more fearful, then another, and so ON
continuously. On all sides formidable
sparks Of electric light fell like show
er ON this sea OF foliage accompanied
with the crash Of the sky. II seemed as
II the heavens themselves were being
broken up under the pressure Of this
tremendous force. Round the fugitive
wild beasts rushed and serpents writhed
along, seeking safety in fight
Gregorio began to lose courage. A
squirrel, struck with lightning, foil
down dead two PAGES from him. Still
not drop of rain. BY degrees, howev-
er, the claps Of thunder became less vi
olent. The sky became less black and
the flashes Of lightning less frequent.
The half caste began to breathe again.
A cloud commenced to break over the
forest. A sheet Of water fell like del
uge. But this only lasted q few mo-
ments, and then the sun appeared again.
It was now about 3 o'clock in the after
noon. For one moment the savage Gre
gorio debated with himself whether he
should take up again the pursuit Of AL
fonso But this time he felt 1t would be
impossible, as during the storm they
bad separated SO far from one another.
So he gave up the idea and set out to
return to Salem.
But he had scarcely walked for 10 min
utes when he heard great noise behind
him. II was that of two jaguars who
were seeking safety in flight, uttering
plaintive howls. Gregorio did not pay
much attention TO them, breaking his
way through brambles and clinging
shrubs, pulling down the flexible branch
es so as to clear a way for himself. He
was quite in his element and knew the
way perfectly. However, a band of tiger
cats, leaping from tree to tree, fell like
AN avalanche at his feet He gave him
self up for lost, but the creatures utter
cd terrible cries and howled with fear.
Along the soil of the forest the tall
grass and stunted shrubs began TO shake
in a restless manner. All around there
was frightful stir. Gigantic boa con-
strictors showed for a moment their
shining and glutinous heads and then
disappeared toward the east; enormous
lizards took flight in the same direc-
ton; clouds Of birds passed above the
forest. Everything, even down to the
big ants of those parts, took the same
road. One might have thought that all
these monsters were going to some
witches meeting.
Gregorio began to be uneasy. The IT,
ger cats, uttering piercing cries, passed
quickly over his head, either without
seeing him or without deigning to take
any notice of him. 1t was very strange.
On the other hand, the migration of
tho reptiles and of every other living
creature became more close and COM
pact
The grass bent down under the weight
Of such crowd, and one might distin-
guish troop of serpents gliding toward
the stream, kissing as they went while
formidable toads, disturbed in their
philosophical apathy, hastened in their
sluggish fashion along the same road.
Then came stays, wild boars, tapirs--
an interminable caravan of animals.
Certainly something had happened,
for dull, dead sound began to make
itself heard from the north. A croco-
dile in wild haste made a passage
through the branches of thorny shrub
and passed quickly on. 1t could not
then be an inundation. Gregorio mount
ed to the top Of tree, not daring yet
to say to himself, 1T must be firel''
There was-no- need to climb to the
highest branches in order to distinguish
an immense light which spread to the
north and west. The whole forest was
in flames. The lightning, falling per-
haps some 500 times, had set fire to the
dry branches and resinous trees; it very
soon spread, and now there was burn
ing circle which was graz utract-
ing SO as to hem in and destroy ., -ith-
in it.
Gregorio at once made up his mind
what to do He followed the tigers, the
birds, the reptiles, and rushed toward
the east not for moment quitting the
direction taken by the denizens of the
forest, for he knew very we'll that their
unerring instinct would lead them to-
ward the Amazon river.
Nor could he go too quickly. The fire
before breaking ont and wrappinQ the