THE ANIMATE ENEMIES OF THE FOREST. 79 



Pouchet, in his work entitled the " The Universe, 

 or the Infinitely Great and the Infinitely Little," * 

 page 218, says : 



" If, when the warm breath of spring drives away the rigor 

 of winter and renews life in the fields, we enter one of the 

 great coniferous woods of Germany, we are astonished at the 

 tumult and activity which prevail in lieu of the silence we 

 went there to seek. Everything is in movement. 



" Groups of woodmen, foresters, and overseers move about by 

 hundreds, and stretch away like columns of skirmishers ; it is 

 a complete army in the field, which opens out wherever there 

 is a large space, and of which the wings are sometimes lost in 

 the windings of the roads, or hidden by the projection of some 

 hillock. This mass of men always moves in order, distributed 

 in troops commanded by experienced leaders. They are all 

 provided with long weapons, which, at a distance, might be 

 taken for lances. 



" Or, if the excursion is made by night, another spectacle 

 awaits us. The whole forest seems on fire. In every part are 

 burning great trees, erect and isolated, like huge threatening 

 torches, the flame of which rises to the clouds and casts a 

 baleful glance on all around. A few foresters, standing in 

 silence, contemplate the progress of the conflagration, and 

 watch its ravages. Lastly, at other times, as a final resource, 

 the entire forest is given up a prey to the flames, and whirl- 



* Reprinted, by permission, from " The Universe, or the 

 Infinitely Great and the Infinitely Little," by F. A. Pouchet, 

 M.D. New York : Charles Scribner & Co., 1870. Pp. 790. 



