Then the deluge commenced, and to my unbounded amazement I found that with the rain _live fish as big as whitebait were falling from the clouds_! When this wonderful rain-storm had passed, large pools of water were left on the surface of the ground, and most of these were fairly alive with fish.
This surface-water, however, evaporated in the course of a few days, and then, as the blazing sun beat down upon the fish-covered country, we found the region growing quite intolerable on account of the awful stench.
Talking of storms, I have seen it stated that the Australian natives are in a state of high glee whenever they hear thunder.

This is perfectly true, but I have never seen any explanation of this joy.

It is simple enough.

The natives know that thunder presages rain, which is always a blessing of great price in that thirsty country.
I think this was the first time I had actually _seen_ it rain fish.

But I had often been surprised, to find water-holes, and even the pools in grassy plains, literally alive with fish a few days after a storm.