applied ammonia and oil. At length he
acknowledged that the pain had considerably abated, but during the
remainder of the evening he took every opportunity of abusing the
country and "its horrible productions."

Harry, who was always ready to take up the cudgels in favour of his
native land, answered, "Why, even you in England have got nettles, and
poisonous berries too, and, I am sure, have not got one-tenth part of
the fruits and plants which this country can produce. We can grow the
sugar-cane, cotton, coffee, rice and tobacco, and Peruvian bark, or what
answers as well, and spices of all sorts, while few of our berries are
poisonous; and, except those rascally dingos, we have not an animal in
the country which can do any harm to man or beast."

"Oh, yes! it's a very nice land indeed," sneered Hector.

"Come, old fellow, you're shut up, after all," exclaimed Harry,
triumphantly, "and it is time to go to bed. I'm off to our hut. Come
along, Reggy; Paul went there an hour ago."

Family prayers were over. The two lads, wishing their fathers and
mothers and all hands good night, set off to their abode.

Mr Hayward and the rest of the inmates of the hut had been some time
asleep, when they were awakened by a fearful uproar, like the howling,
shrieking, and hissing of a thousand locomotive engines dashing on at
full speed--so Reggy described it. They could scarcely hear their own
voices as they shouted to know what was happening.

"A storm, lads, and such a one as we don't often get," said Mr Hayward,
who was dressing as fast as he could. The rest followed his example,
for at any moment the roof of their hut might be carried off. As they
looked out they saw the tallest trees bending and groaning under the
fearful blast. At that moment a huge branch, broken off, was dashed to
the ground near them with a tremendous crash, while the whole air was
filled with leaves, twigs, and smaller branches.

The thunder, which had been heard at a distance, came near. At first it
sounded like a faint cannonading, but now it broke overhead with
terrible roars and rattles, as if a pitched battle were raging amid the
clouds, drowning all other sounds. In such rapid succession did peal
follow peal, that they appeared like one continuous roar.

Black clouds made the night as dark as pitch, until the lightning burst
forth and lit up the whole of the surrounding scene. Streams of the
electric fluid, running down the stems of