The Monsoon

The brief message which reached us a day or two ago trom Bombay - "the nonsoon has burst" - has a meaning in it which only those wbo have lived in India can fully understand. On the regular "bursting" of the monsoon the very existence of the people of India may be said to depend. But for the monsoon the whole country would perish under its glaring sun ; and during the early days of June Anglo-Indians look anxiously fcr the brief announcement of its coming. The southwest monsoon sets in generally toward the end of April, the steady wind sweeping up from the Indian Oeean, and carrying with it dense volumes of vapor, which slowly collect in dark masses of clouds as they approach the continent. Dark and denser become the cloud masses ; the horizon assumes a heavy leaden appearance, sometimes kindling into a lurid glare - answering to the sense of oppression, both mental and physical, which accompanies it. The atmosphere becomes close and oppressive alike to man and beast ; but the heat is bom with patience, for relief is at hand. Flashes of lightning play from cloud to cloud, and heavy thunder reverberates through the heavens ; the wind springs into a tempest, and along the shore the white waves are tossed in foam against the rocka or over the burning sand. Then a few great heavy drops of raiu fall, like balls of lead from the apparently leaden sky ; the forked lightning is changed to sheets of light, and suddenly the flood gates of heaven are opened, and not rain but sheets of water are po'ired f orth, ref reshing the parched earth, carrying f ertility over the surf ace of the country, filling the wells and natural reservoirs with a fresh store, and replenishing the dwindling rivers and streams. The whole earth seems suddenly recalled to life. Vegetation may almost be seen to grow, and from the baked mud of the river banks emerge countless üshea, which f or weeks or months before have lain there in torpor. The phenomena of the burstiDg of the monsoon are repeated from hill top to hill top, tlll the whole country, from Cape Comoriu to Bombay and the jrreat plains bevond, is gimilarly visited.-