STEPPE-FIRES 



abous, storks, vultures, kites, and other birds of prey 

 follow, to feast on roasted locusts and other small- 

 fry. 



The mammals of the steppe either retreat before the 

 fire or hide in caves and wash-outs, and on their return 

 to the plain they relish the young grass. These African 

 animals seem to consider the fire, like Mephisto, a 

 "friendly element." The baboons, without a sign of 

 fear, watch the fire-waves pass by their trees. 



These fires are in no way a danger for the traveller, 

 if he be at all watchful. He only needs to set the grass 

 around his camp on fire, and in this way to make a 

 clearing which will protect the camp against the ap- 

 proaching larger fire. Of course, accidents may hap- 

 pen, and the traveller may be caught napping, or be 

 surprised in spite of his watchfulness. On one occasion 

 I had pitched my camp among dry ree-ds, when sud- 

 denly it was threatened by a wild-fire. All we could 

 do in this emergency was hurriedly to save our camping 

 outfit and ourselves. I lost a considerable amount of 

 valuable material — prepared skins and the like — which 

 I had collected. As we retreated, we were pursued by 

 a discharge of small-arms — some of the cartridges left 

 behind exploded singly and in volleys. 



Sometimes the repeated attacks of many fires lay 

 low even the l)ig trees. They burn slowly and, in 

 a calm, steadily, taking the place of lanterns at 

 night, until they are charred and at last fall into 



37 



