RESIDENCE ON LIMESTONE SOILS. 13 



feet, probably numbed with cold, upon the heap of 

 stones, newly put on to burn through the night. 

 Sleep overcame him in this situation ; the fire gra- 

 dually rising and increasing until it ignited the 

 stones upon which his feet were placed. Lulled by 

 the warmth, the man slept on ; the fire increased 

 until it burned one foot (which probably t was ex- 

 tended over a vent hole) and part of the leg above 

 the ancle entirely off, consuming that part so effec- 

 tually, that a cinder-like fragment was alone re- 

 maining and still the wretch slept on ! and in this 

 state was found by the kiln-man in the morning. 

 Insensible to any pain, and ignorant of his misfortune, 

 he attempted to rise and pursue his journey, but 

 missing his shoe, requested to have it found ; and 

 when he was raised, putting his burnt limb to the 

 ground to support his body, the extremity of his 

 leg-bone, the tibia, crumbled into fragments, having 

 been calcined into lime. Still he expressed no sense 

 of pain, and probably experienced none, from the 

 gradual operation of the fire, and his own torpidity 

 during the hours his foot was consuming. This 

 poor drover survived his misfortunes in the hospital 

 about a fortnight ; but the fire having extended to 

 other parts of his body, recovery was hopeless. 



Residences upon limestone soils have generally 

 been considered as less liable than other situations 

 to infectious and epidemic disorders ; and such 

 places being usually more elevated, they become 

 better ventilated, and freed from stagnated and un- 

 wholesome airs, and by the absorbing principle of 



