IN THE KANAKA JUNGLES 69 



was burnt for miles, everything was black and 

 smoking on two sides, and I felt very guilty of setting 

 fire to the world. 



In the evening we had another fight with the 

 flames, just after I had changed my dripping clothes 

 and had had a bath too ! 



In the middle of the night there was a lot of shout- 

 ing and loud cracks of burning sticks ; we could see 

 from the camp bright high flames in the village. It 

 was the Forest Guard's hut which stood in the middle 

 of the village, and nearly all his possessions were 

 burnt. How they saved the other huts within three 

 or four yards I don't know as not a drop of water 

 was to be had. 



I was greatly relieved to find out that I was not 

 the cause of this last disaster, and that my fire had 

 not gone near the village, but that an enemy had 

 done this thing. 



