FOREST FIRES 



Of course every beast, every bird and insect is in the 

 greatest possible danger. 



This is how a fire in New Zealand has been described by 

 Mr. William Satchell:— i 



" For a while it seemed that the battle must go to the wind, 

 the fiery monster withdrew, lay hidden, roaring angrily in the 

 dry heart of the woods ; then insidiously he stretched forth 

 his glittering arms, first one, then another, and locking the 

 shuddering trees in an irresistible embrace, sprang once again 

 erect. In an instant the whole bush from edge to edge 

 became a seething, rocking mass of flames. 



"'Fire! Fire!' 



" Then, insignificant no longer, transfigured rather beyond 

 all living possibilities of loveliness, the bush stood revealed 

 to its centre. It became less a fire than an incandescence, 

 waxing in brilliance to the point when, as it seemed, it must 

 perforce burst into indistinguishable flame. Every leaf and 

 twig of that fairy forest was wrought and hammered in virgin 

 gold, every branch and trunk was a carved miracle of bur- 

 nished copper. And from the golden leaves to the golden 

 floor, floatingly or swiftly, there fell an unceasing rain of 

 crimson flame petals, gorgeous flame fruits. Depth after 

 depth stood revealed, each transcending the last in loveliness. 

 And as the eye sought to penetrate those magic interiors 

 there seemed to open out yet farther vistas, beyond belief 

 beautiful, as of the streets of a city incorruptible, walled 

 and towered, lost in the light of a golden incomparable 

 star.'' 



"'Fire! Fire!' 



" In the face of that vision of glory the cry rang out with 

 all the ineptitude and inappropr lateness of the human 



1 The Toll of the Bush, 

 64 



