As soon as it was thus known that the bacterial couriers of the storm had reached the shores of Limanora, the electric forces of the lilaran were brought into play, and we could see lightnings belch forth which seemed to make the north-east atmosphere and ocean glow. Swiftly the shoals of fish were gathered close to the bastions of the coast, for masses of insects were falling every moment into the water. Soon we could see our lightnings reach as far as the insect darkness and the bird cloud. The air cleared and the surface of the sea was covered with death. Away to the west screamed and shrieked the survivors of the winged army. Then could we see the pitchy midnight of the coming tempest moving stealthily towards us; and its heralds howled and shrieked through every crevice of our mansion. It was bearing right on Lilaroma. How could that battering-ram of heaven’s fury be turned aside or evaded? It seemed to me that nothing but death and destruction were before us. I had already seen a tropical cyclone level a gigantic forest clean as a mower would clear his swath in his breast-high corn. What could man do in presence of so terrific a force but hide in holes of the rocks? The thought of those noble buildings levelled with the dust mingled sadness with my fear and shook all cowardice from it. What was the immolation of animal existence which I had just witnessed compared to the destruction of all this people had done? I felt as if the torch of the world’s salvation were about to be extinguished.