Rain in torrents, under a heavy black sky.

This was India.

Sylvestre had just set foot upon land, chance selecting him to complete the crew of a whale boat.

He felt the warm shower upon him through the thick foliage, and looked around, surprised at the novel sight.

All was magnificently green; the leaves of the trees waved like gigantic feathers, and the people walking beneath them had large velvety eyes, which seemed to close under the weight of their lashes.