This would probably be sometime in the month of December.
One day I saw a number of small snakes swarming round the foot of a tree, and was just about to knock some of them over with my stick, when Yamba called out to me excitedly not to molest them.

They then began to climb the tree, and she explained that this clearly indicated the advent of the wet season.

"I did not wish you to kill the snakes," she said, "because I wanted to see if they would take refuge in the trees from the coming floods." Up to this time, however, there had not been the slightest indication of any great change in the weather.

Many months must have elapsed since rain had fallen in these regions, for the river was extremely low between its extraordinarily high banks, and the country all round was dry and parched; but even as we walked, a remarkable phenomenon occurred, which told of impending changes.

I was oppressed with a sense of coming evil.
I listened intently when Yamba requested me to do so, but at first all I could hear was a curious rumbling sound, far away in the distance.