THE FIB XKIBE. 359 



Linnaeus well describes the danger by -which he was 

 surrounded when traversing one of the burning forests 

 in Lapland : 



" Several days ago the forests had been set on fire 

 by lightning, and the flames raged at this tiiie with 

 great violence, owing to the drought of the season. In 

 many different places, perhaps nine or ten that came 

 under my notice, the devastation extended several miles' 

 distance. I traversed a space of three quarters of a mile 

 in extent (about four miles and a half English), which 

 was entirely burnt, so that Flora, instead of appearing in 

 her gay and verdant attire, was in deep sable, a spectacle 

 more abhorrent to my feelings than to see her clad in the 

 white livery of winter; for this, though it destroys the 

 herbage, leaves the roots in safety, which the fire does not. 

 The fire was nearly extinguished in most of the spots 

 we visited, except in ant-hills and dry trunks of trees. 

 After we had travelled about half a quarter of a mile 

 across one of these scenes of desolation, the wind began 

 to blow with rather more force than it had previously done, 

 upon which a sudden noise arose in the half-burnt forest, 

 such as I can only compare to what may be imagined 

 among a large army attacked by an enemy. We knew 

 not whither to turn our steps ; the smoke would not 

 suffer us to remain where we were, and we durst not 

 turn back. It seemed best to hasten forward in hopes of 

 speedily reaching the outskirts of the wood, but in this 

 we were disappointed. We ran as fast as we could, in 

 order to avoid being crushed by the falling trees, some of 

 which threatened us every minute. Sometimes the fall of 

 a large trunk was so sudden that we stood aghast, not 

 knowing which way to turn to escape destruction, and 

 throwing ourselves entirely on the protection of Provi- 

 dence. In one instance a large tree fell exactly between 

 me and my guide, who walked not more than a fathom 

 from me ; but, thanks to God, we both escaped in safety. 

 We were not a little rejoiced when this perilous adventure 



