It was not long after the sun had set behind a high bank of clouds than a drizzling rain came on, and although I did not like this symptom of a wet night, I was satisfied by Goodaloo going and procuring a hoe, with which he soon pecked up, around the outside tent, a large gutter to carry off, and thus prevent the water that might fall, spreading over the floor inside. After seeing this done, and partaking of supper, I soon fell fast asleep, as comfortably as if I had remained in the warm close-thatched residence of my learned friends. Before midnight, however, the storm that had been brewing the two or three days previously around the cliffs of Aramba, Kundi, and Mamrat, progressed gradually but rapidly to its fullest development. The Scotch mist of the evening increased to a sharp rain, which soon after came down as if the windows of heaven had opened, and another deluge was approaching; in a very short time, not only were both tents soaking, but before I awoke even, every article of clothing I had on was completely wet through. The fire, fortunately, had been kept in, and a large bundle of wood having been placed between the two tents, we were in no fear of being left without that comfort. The first thing, when I awoke to the misery of my situation, was to send Walderheros to the house situated outside of the palace stockade, but he could get no attention paid to his representations, they were all as bad off, they said, as myself, the new roof of their apartment letting in water at every part. He was equally unsuccessful at the palace, for no one could be made to hear the loud summons at the outer gate, the cold and rain having driven in the wardens to some retreat, and probably amidst the noise of the tempest man’s voice was lost; so Walderheros, after some time, returned to the tent unsuccessful, and nearly half drowned. The night would have just suited Byron, provided he had been wrapt up in some good macintoshes, for now increased the fierce contention of the elements of fire and water. Thunder in the distance boomed heavily, and, quick as the blow of wrath, its dinning _rat tat_ seemed to break the electric cloud directly over head; whilst bright leaping flashes of the most vivid lightning pierced the darkness of tempest and of night with a moment’s triumph. Like a bright spear-head glaring for an instant upon a broad buckler of dingy hide, night’s darkness, more darkly opposed the recoiling shaft of light, and the muttering echo of the retiring peal, seemed to curse the innoxious effect of its spent force upon earth and her inhabitants. I sat upon my heels shivering in the middle of my rude bedstead, where the concavity that formed by my weight being in the centre of my hide mattress, made a good pickling tub, and I was very soon ankle deep in a pool of water, whilst to increase the pleasantness of our situation, the rain succeeded, against every endeavour to prevent it, in putting out the fire.