108 THE CANOE BURNED. 



were here lost; and old Jake, grumbling his discontent, 

 surrendered further search, and led the youths back to 

 camp. 



As they approached the river they were much 

 alarmed by observing clouds of smoke curling among 

 the trees and inwreathing the forest in their immense 

 folds. Quickening their pace, they soon reached the 

 scene, and fully realized the disaster which had occurred. 



We have noticed that the spot selected for the camp 

 was among high grass, which had become bleached by 

 the fervid heat of the sun. While the party were in 

 pursuit of the cariboo buck, the fire had communicated 

 itself to the dry herbage, and in a few moments the 

 flames had spread with lightning-like rapidity in all 

 directions. Already some trees at the verge of the 

 forest were ablaze, and their fierce crackling, in addition 

 to that of the burning grass and weeds, made a noise 

 like the continuous rattle of musketry. 



But what concerned the hunters more than aught 

 else was that the canoe, which unluckily had been 

 lifted from the water and placed on the bank to 

 facilitate the inspection of some slight damage occa- 

 sioned by a graze against a rock, had been wrapped in 

 the flames, and was now completely destroyed. 



By great good fortune the stores and furs had been 

 left on the slender strip of shingle which intervened 

 between the water and the camp, and had thus escaped 

 the fate of the canoe. Meantime the flames receded 

 from the spot, and gradually burned themselves out, 



