Part 25 (1/2)

This was s

Neighbours came from all directions except the south, for we knew of none in this direction besides the wild Pampean Indians, and they were not included in the invitation Probably we should ht after our opening gathering, or 'house-war,' as Moncrieff called it, we had a spell of terribly hot weather The heat was of a sultry, close description, difficult to describe: the cattle, sheep, and horses sees These last, by the e found it a good plan to clip Long coats did not suit the su it seemed hotter and sultrier than ever We were all seated out in the verandah,the the insects, when suddenly a low and o was heard which made us all start except Moncrieff

Is it thunder? No; there is not at present a cloud in the sky, although a strange dark haze is gathering over the peaks on the western horizon

'Look!' said Moncrieff to roundwards Beetles and ants and crawling insects of every description were heading for the verandah, seeking shelter frorew louder!

It was not co from the sky, but from the earth!

[8] Pampero, a storm wind that blows from the south

[9] For-fochten = worn out The term usually applies to barn-yard roosters, who have been settling a quarrel, and pause to pant, with their heads towards the ground

[10] Swans usually coeese; but much depends upon the season

CHAPTER XVII

THE EARTHQUAKE

With a rapidity that was truly alar the black haze in the west crept upwards over the sky, the sun was engulfed in a fewwind and a whirl of dust and decayed leaves, the stor enveloped in clouds and darkness

The awful earth sounds still continued--increased, in fact--much to the terror of every one of us We had retreated to the back sitting-room

Moncrieff had left us for a tienerally, for the Gauchos were almost paralyzed with fear, and it was found afterwards that the very shepherds had left their flocks and fled for safety--if safety it could be called--to their _puestos_

Yet Gauchos are not as a rule afraid of storms, but--and it is somewhat remarkable--an old Indian seer had for ht the city of Mendoza would be destroyed by an earthquake, and that not only the town but every village in the province would be laid low at the saive the reader any idea of the events of this dreadful night I can only briefly relate s and experiences As we all sat there, suddenly a great river of blood appeared to split the dark heavens in two, fro seconds, and was followed by a peal of thunder of terrific violence, acco on the estate were being rent and riven in pieces At the self-sah my brain I could only see those around me as if enshrouded in a blue-white mist I tried to rise froht into a chair but into a boat Floor and roof and walls appeared to meet and clasp My head swam I was not only dizzy but deaf apparently, not too deaf, however, to hear the wild, unearthly, frightened screams of twenty at least of our Gaucho servants, ere huddled together in the centre of the garden It was all over in a few seconds: even the thunder was hushed and the wind no longer bent the poplars or roared through the cloud-like elm-trees A silence that could be felt succeeded, broken only by the low moan of terror that the Gauchos kept up; a silence that soon checked even that sound itself; a silence that crept round the heart, and held us all spellbound; a silence that was ended at last by terrible thunderings and lightnings and earth-tre sensations that had accoain, and for a time felt also as if death itself would have been a relief

But this shock passed next, and once more there was a solemn silence, a drear stillness And now fear took possession of every one of us, and a desire to flee away somewhere--anywhere This had almost amounted to panic, when Moncrieff hiot our fellows to put up the marquee,' he said, almost in a whisper 'Come--we'll be safer there Mither, I'll carry you You're not afraid, are you?'

'Is the worruld co dazed as her son picked her up 'Is the worruld comin' tae an end, _and the marmalade no made yet_?'

In about an hour after this the storm was at its worst Flash followed flash, peal followed peal: the world see on us The rain and hailstones careat that even the thunder itself was heard but as a subdued roar

We had no light here--we needed none The lightning, or the reflection of it, ran in under the canvas on the surface of the water, which must have been inches deep The hail ave place to rain alone; then the water that flowed through the tent felt warm, if not hot, to the touch This was no doubt occasioned by the force hich it fell to the ground The falling rain now looked like cords of gold and silver, so brightly was it illu