IN THE SWAMP. 217 



mighty razor grass comes to the front and turns 

 out everything else ? Here there is no question as 

 to its impenetrability in either dry or wet season. 

 The sword-shaped leaves of the monster are armed 

 on edge and keel with the most beautiful saws 

 that can be imagined, which are so sharp as to 

 make deep gashes in your face or hands almost 

 before you are aware you have touched them. 

 Only the scaly alligator can make a way through 

 the tufts of this monster, and even he is held in 

 check by the density of its growth. In some 

 places it covers miles of the swamp to the ex- 

 clusion of everything else, its great brown panicles 

 at certain seasons rising six or eight feet above 

 the surface and giving a ruddy tint to the other- 

 wise green expanse. Not only is it well protected 

 against floods, herbivorous animals and rival plants, 

 but is able to endure fire as well. 



When the dry season comes and the morass is 

 thoroughly drained, the razor grass begins to look 

 parched, and if no rain falls for three or four 

 months its outer leaves shrivel and lose their 

 colour. At such times a spark from the fisher- 

 man's camp-fire, or his pipe, comes in contact with 

 some of these and the savannah soon bursts into 

 flames. In the day you can see clouds of smoke 

 running along, and hear a continual hiss and 



