THE FORESTS AND SPORT OF SIBERIA. 123 



dour of the primitive forests in lower latitudes is entirely and 

 absolutely lacking in this derelict, uncared-for woodland. The life 

 which stirs within them seems as if it had already fallen under the 

 shadow of death. 28 



True forest, full of fresh life, with continuance amid a regular 

 succession of changes, is rare. The devastation wrought by fire 

 is a much more frequent spectacle. Sooner or later a lightning- 

 flash, or the culpable carelessness of the Siberian, sets the forest in 

 a blaze. Favoured by the season and the weather the conflagration 

 spreads in a manner scarce conceivable. Not for hours, but for 

 days, or even for weeks, the destruction rages. On the mossy and 

 turfy ground the flames smoulder and creep further and further; the 

 quantities of dry and mouldy debris on the ground feed them, dry 

 branches hanging down to the ground, or dead trunks, still upright, 

 lead them to the tops of the living trees. Hissing and cracking the 

 resinous needles fall, and a gigantic spray of sparks rises to heaven. 

 In a few minutes the giant tree is dead, and the destruction spreads; 

 the rockets which radiate from it fall in thousands of sparks, and 

 all around fresh flames spring from the glowing seed. Thus every 

 minute the fire gains ground, and destruction spreads on all sides 

 uncontrolled. In a few hours square miles of the forest are ablaze. 

 Over hundreds of square versts steaming clouds of smoke darken 

 the sun; slowly, but thickly, and ever more thickly, the ashes 

 drizzle down, and tell by day to distant settlers, as the glow re- 

 flected in the sky proclaims by night, that there is a fire in the forest. 

 Affrighted animals carry terror into the surrounding townships. 

 Immediately after great forest-fires, bears appear in districts where 

 they have not been seen for years; wolves wander over the open 

 country in formidable troops as if it were winter; elks, stags, 

 roedeer and reindeer seek new homes in distant forests; and 

 squirrels in countless swarms hurry through wood and plain, field 

 and meadow, village and town. How many of the terror-stricken 

 beasts fall victims to the fire no one can estimate, but it has been 

 found that woodlands desolated by conflagration remain for many 

 years thereafter without fresh settlers, and that the valuable beasts 

 of the chase have entirely disappeared from many of these desolated 



