The First Night of the Rains.

Hokitika Guardian, 1 September 1921, Page 3

The First Night of the Rains.

KHARTUM (Sudan). June is the critical time of change - jin the desert lands. It was barely an -hour old when a severe llahnoh blew . up, followed by a thunderstorm. The , Hah,mb is a stilling hot wind laden with line, clinking dust. Two Hahoohs and j three thunderstorms were crowded into I the first, twenty-four hours. Happily i the rain lias laid the dust ill the desert and we hope for some respite Irom llaljoohs. The river swells rapidly in volume and rolls down through the leagues of desert to the land of the Pharaohs. As if by magic tin- rains bring forth a host of creeping and living things. It I Itt,: lilies-. Ijectlfis. and insects sf | mun- weird, people even the arid wastes. 1 On the first night ot the rains f | wst -le'd an exciting " s.- ene in the j •-rounds of the club, wln-re we exiles ; iliave a tiny oasis ol civilisation. 1 Elec-ti-iu lamps hang on tile trees | and on the trees live the geckos, queer 'lizards with sucking discs on tlu-ir . feel by means of which they can walk jup .-inook)i walls, and even window ! panes. * Ordinarily only une geekn is found oil each tree, and any attempt at invasion liv another is repelled by the law lul occupier. On this night the law was . suspended, and each tree held an eager k i-imi]Riny. nf four, or «*von mon 1 I ,o»ckos. I.rivlit-i-yed and very mneli oil ; D-e alert. Where they all came from [ cannot say. hut a sure instinct drew | tln-in from !| H quarters to the feast j whirl! awaited them round the lamps.. It was the swarming of the white ants, which arrive at maturity at this , tim-. Only the males and females are ' provided with wings, and they hav" these hut a short time, during which they career in mad orgies of love-mak-I ing. at tlie end of which they return to"lhe osi ft li and their wings drop off. i Aopearing in tliousamls from cracks ini the ground, these destructive rreu- ! lures, whi'-h ruin our furniture and ' (he timber works of the houses, circle.) . lords round the lamps which draw inserts of all kind' with an irresistibly lure. Not a single while suit returned to | e o-tli that night. Kimiiltaneni's’i v with the ,-eekos there tiinieareil a rompnn) of hats pruh'ihly a couple of ii nnd rod which swooped hither and thither -.uiione tin- living insects. >o that the 1 seemed alive with them and the - lamps were all hut: blotted out. The hats have a deft and rapid touch ! and. lIS they sweep through tin- a-r j r-ilrli the in ert hv the h. -Iv. t ! U- ■' - 1 ta.-hed wings falling to the ground, j They showered down like ,minis in an ; apole on-hard. j ’ll,who tried to e.-eape hv settling on trees were iti'lantlv I'iek- d ! off I,V the geckos and w itliin fifteen j minutes of the annearinee of the swarm, the drama w.-s olaved out end not mie white suit remained alive.