THE THRILL OF THE MONSOON.

Hokitika Guardian, 13 September 1921, Page 1

THE THRILL OF THE MONSOON.

Wii.-n Imll-lrogs croak Die Indian I'.irnioi get- oiii hi- plough. For in -on*- in \si ei ions way I mgs know when rain I- coining. They make night hideous wjl ii I la-il kind of frog joins in the ehm us. Sb-wp i' mi]), ,s-ibie. Kul Da- tarmi'i (loc- lint mind a sleepless niglii w hci ! be,,* is promi-e ol raill oex i day. Ni,i-e is 1,,-iPr ihan starvation, and i D ,- monsoon iails In- 0,-inn,it ploiigb bi til-ills. J'noy are baked ,l,y. ami bar. a.. a -p!i: 1 1 1 . illidci a burning situ. The s, ,111 low e. I III,"I-- i* 1 11 strikes Da , ~a si of I li-11:■ soli: Ii ~1 lloliib.n . Ia I ll> 111 : |». ra 111 aid,-II clouds from Da- In dial) ttoean. Am! .li tile way lip 1. , I'a nia I, people wall ': all \ ion- ly Im il- unival. I was liiiiig in a great eily in tin I’wniab cm- \ear w ben th oiiso.n was lale. Tbe ia «l was aim. u llllNa, '!'!.•■ lai d iDn-ie 1 i'eima li, ,-Undies- -U \ . I leal h- from -un-si rob, ,11-i-ni i,- 1 ! Jail' : lamer., t hr.-aicm-,!. )’! o si,-neb in i !u- Ila/.aer- wa ■ inn lilJe, and , - bo!, -1 a lie»ao il- ravage-. Tkeii one night tie.- frogs lie-gnu ti er, el,. Mon lislenod, ami do-pair wa tortu-d to hope. i!ui 11 1 ■ xI moroiiig tln-iv was m e1,,n,l in the -by. e.inl people dc'-lare( Dial 0,011 Die I logs do, ei \cl DleOl. I lay 111 a long elmii swell.-rin r h lb,- heal. Tbe punkah swinging "O-i bead gave sear.ely any i.-liel for tie air wa, dry and imrning !.,,l. Tin ii t hero eame in my eai - i 101 l far away a taint , on, imams noise. In I at ti ISt Dial I eon Id I | j;. |: ia me 1 1 oio iln son Ib. I glow ill ’strength, approaching m-aic ami i u-a irr, u alii a . 1 ’ I r> eog iii-c p as ib,‘ \-oiee oi’ many men shouting. F, cry body was sm ea ming - men, we. mi-n ami ehi 1,1 roll all at the tup <u their voices. (In the l!n< , i-oWlls of '-'"ill-4 people -ii I‘iekei 1 aim unveil rloihs and im mlkeniiirl s as i 111 Meeting. | j wa s a 1 nmnli, a lion ieam- o oMiil : and I looked and listened in low ilderment. <: rmtmilly il losscned all a round luo. im t " ;i- caught 'U fa. Diet- oil'. This wild delirium "a----1 ravelling norDi" ards. laioler am laiii Ie i il grow until it di'-'l av. a , ie a ,iist aip w lospi-i . Pi,-scmly it se'-nii-'l I" no- that th. |a-at was mil so stilling. I looked a 1 lo I boi-monioler ami loiiml licit it "a.hopping. And as I did so I though. ! beard something very like the p:U tm ing ol rain-drop-. “I leat-drops. I said to myself. Hot I was wiong and I knew'also that the I'mgs luo mil ti, , -ei Ve, 1 OS. Koi rain in torrent s "a- pourin', a ibe patched ground. The him sa'-'-d. Tbe monsoon bad arrivedAnd all the tumuli and t lie shout i lie | |,a,l beard "as I lie notice of its up--0,011(1,. Shouted Ihhii town to ‘own and from village to village. kcepon in-1 ;il,i- 11 ,1 of the wind and the clouds ,' ~ "e luol been carried lor : Ihousuml' miles. But Die frogs got tic news lirst.