Page:Life in Java Volume 1.djvu/169

Rh delight, however, was doomed to be short-lived, for whilst we were at breakfast a thick vapoury cloud came sweeping from the east, filling the rooms of the house with a damp atmosphere. This was soon followed by a heavy shower of rain, which made us fear our excursion must be postponed till next day—a great disappointment, seeing that the Bromok had been very active over-night, and was now growling like distant thunder.

We stood some time in the verandah, looking in the direction of the volcano, which was veiled from us by a thick mist. We continued gazing, until our attention was diverted by the remark of one of our servants, who gave it as his opinion that the noise was made by the voice of some departed gnome, which he called Pungooroo Gunong, keeper of the mountains, who thus made known his appetite for human flesh. In talking about earthquakes, to which the subject naturally led, he declared it to be his conviction that the earth,