338 Major F. Bailey's Forest Tour 



one serves its purpose sufficiently well, though the sledge 

 must sometimes be tilted over at an angle of 40°. Such 

 a machine as this might easily be used in India, being 

 dragged by a mule or by men. 



On reaching Gonfaron we took the train for Frejus, the 

 railway passing through a fertile plain, where we first saw 

 the stone pine (P. jpinea), with its remarkable, brush- 

 like, densely shading crown. Here we were met by MM. 

 Tassy and Muterse, the inspector and assistant-inspector in 

 charge of the Esterel, the latter of whom hospitably enter- 

 tained some of the party at dinner. Frejus is remarkable, 

 among other things, for its nightingales, a number of whom 

 sang throughout the evening close to the house; but their 

 melody would have been more enjoyable if it had not been 

 for a company of bull frogs, who added their deep discordant 

 base to the chorus. 



The Esterel. 



On the last day of April we made an early start to visit 

 the State forests of the Esterel. We drove past the old 

 Roman ruins for which Frejus is celebrated ; and crossing 

 the plain, where we saw the Aleppo, cluster, and stone pines 

 all growing together, ascended for some distance by the 

 excellent forest carriage road. We then called a halt, 

 while M. Muterse explained his method of protection 

 against fire. This consists in a system of fire-lines for 

 the younger, and of petits feux for the older parts of 

 the forests. There are fire-lines on the crests of all main 

 ridges and spurs, and along both sides of all roads, inter- 

 mediate lines being cut where they are considered neces- 

 sary. The forest guards' houses, which are built on points 

 favourable for observation, are connected by telephone with 

 the central house where the garde general lives; so that, on 

 a fire breaking out, the alarm can at once be communicated 

 to every part of the forest, and the whole of the guards and 

 work people can be assembled at any point in a very short 

 time. Sheds with brooms and tools, required to aid in 

 extinguishing fires, are established at intervals throughout 

 the forest, so that no delay may occur through having to 

 fetch them from a central point. If a fire occurs, it 

 can generally be got under control in this manner; but if, 



