NARROW ESCAPE OF THE P.ARRACKS FROM FIRE. 93 



places to the depth of two or three feet, which in wet 

 weather form a spongy swamp, and in dry weather a soft 

 elastic carpet. We happened just at this time to have 

 a spell of very fine hot weather. I took the opportunity 

 to practice the men in ball shooting so as to give a warm 

 reception to the gentleman and his seven hundred men 

 should they come. Some of the burning cartridge paper set 

 fire, without our noticing it, to this dry and spongy carpet 

 of spines, and it increased with such rapidity that very soon 

 the whole plain was in a blaze, and the fire rapidly approached 

 the barracks. Our water supply was soon expended without 

 having made much impression. Fortunately beneath the 

 spines was a layer of fine white sand, and by heaping this on 

 the flames we managed to smother them. At one time, 

 although we had cut trenches in all directions the fire was so 

 close to the barracks that I almost gave up all hope of saving 

 them. Later in the afternoon a fresh danger was reported. 

 The field magazine in which were stored about seventy 

 thousand cartridges was in danger. So I had to move 

 them at once. Where to put them was the question. I 

 was afraid if I placed them with the barrack guard some 

 careless fellow might drop a match or light amongst them, 

 so the only place I could think of was under and around 

 my bed, and there they remained till morning. 



The whole interior of the island except where the 

 barracks were placed was one dense forest of enormous trees ; 

 there was not much jungle except on the edge of the 

 numerous creeks and ravines. Once having entered the 

 forest you never saw the sky or a ray of sunlight till you 

 came out of it, nothing but a grey gloomy sort of twilight. I 

 never ventured into it without a compass and timing myself 



