198 FOREST ON FIRE. [CH. III. 



but as smoke ascended from one flat to the westward, I con- 

 jectured that we might there find a pool, but it was too far 

 distant to be then of use to us. The general direction of hills 

 appeared to be 318° from north; that of the continuation 

 westward of the flat higher land, N. 343°. A broad and ex- 

 tensive smoke was rising from the country where we had slept, 

 and towards which I was about to return by a direct course 

 from this hill (N. 56° E.). Accordingly, we travelled until 

 night overtook us in an extensive, casuarina scrub, where we 

 tied our horses, and made our fire, after a ride of at least 40 

 miles. During the night, we were made aware, by the 

 crackling of falling timber, that a conflagration was ap- 

 proaching, and one of us by turns watched, while the others 

 slept with their arms at hand. The state of our horses, from 

 want of water, was by no means promising for the long jour- 

 ney, which was necessary to enable us to reach home next 

 day ; a circumstance on which the lives of these animals in 

 all probability depended, especially as the grass here was very 

 indifferent. We had also little more than a pint of water for 

 each horse ; and it was difficult to give that scanty allowance 

 to any one of the animals, in sight of the others, so furious 

 were they on seeing it. 



3Iay 5. — Proceeding in search of our first day's track, we 

 entered almost immediately the burning forest. We per- 

 ceived, that much pains had been taken by the natives to 

 spread the fire, from its burning in separate places. 



Huge trees fell now and then with a crashing sound, loud 

 as thunder, while others hung just ready to fall, and as the 

 country was chiefly open forest, the smoke, at times, added 

 much sublimity to the scenery. We travelled five miles 

 through this fire and smoke, all the while in expectation 

 of coming unawares upon the natives, who had been so busy 

 in annoying us. At length, we saw the huts, which we had 

 passed the day before, and soon after, three natives, who im- 

 mediately got behind trees as we advanced ; but although one 

 ran (jH", yet the others answered my cooy, and I went towards 



