of 



safe, a smoke-column arose among the trees by 

 the pass. Probably during the first assault of 

 the flames a fiery dart had been hurled across the 

 pass. 



Up the shallow forested valley below me came 

 the flames, an inverted Niagara of red and yel- 

 low, with flying spray of black. It sent forward 

 a succession of short-lived whirlwinds that went 

 to pieces explosively, hurling sparks and blaz- 

 ing bark far and high. During one of its wilder 

 displays the fire rolled forward, an enormous 

 horizontal whirl of flame, and then, with thun- 

 der and roar, the molten flames swept upward 

 into a wall of fire; this tore to pieces, collapsed, 

 and fell forward in fiery disappearing clouds. 

 With amazing quickness the splendid hanging 

 garden on the terraced heights was crushed and 

 blackened. By my promontory went this mag- 

 nificent zigzag surging front of flame, blowing 

 the heavens full of sparks and smoke and fling- 

 ing enormous fiery rockets. Swift and slow, 

 loud and low, swelling and vanishing, it sang its 

 eloquent death song. 



A heavy stratum of tarlike smoke formed 

 168 



