of 



encircled the place of origin. The camp-fire 

 nucleus of this blaze had also been built in the 

 wrong place, against a fallen log which lay 

 in a deep bed of decaying needles. 



Of course each departing camper should put 

 out his camp-fire. However, a camp-fire built 

 on a humus-covered forest floor, or by a log, or 

 against a dead tree, is one that is very difficult 

 to extinguish. With the best of intentions one 

 may deluge such a fire with water without de- 

 stroying its potency. A fire thus secreted ap- 

 pears, like a lie, to have a spark of immortality 

 in it. 



A fire should not be built in contact with sub- 

 stances that will burn, for such fuel will prolong 

 the fire's life and may lead it far into the forest. 

 There is but little danger to the forest from a 

 fire that is built upon rock, earth, sand, or 

 gravel. A fire so built is isolated and it usually 

 dies an early natural death. Such a fire one 

 built in a safe and sane place is easily ex- 

 tinguished. 



The larger of these two incipient fires was 

 burning quietly, and that night I camped within 



156 



