262 The Poets and Nature. 



draws on, and flicker up and down in mazy multitudes, the 

 result is utterly baffling and bewildering. 



And herein (of which I believe I am now the first true 

 exponent) lies the secret of the legend of the will-o'-the-wisp 

 and the ignis fatuus generally. 



Naturally enough, a belated traveller looks upon a light 

 as a friend. There is a firefly in his path. Therefore it 

 is his friend. By-and-by he cannot see his path. But 

 there is another firefly. So he thinks, That is "another 

 friend." Alas ! it is anything but that, and will lead 

 whomsoever follows it into uttermost swamp and jungle 

 the natural habitats of the creature. This is no effort 

 of imagination. 



In the years that are gone I was riding in Sind, the second 

 march beyond Jacobabad, and for several miles at midnight 

 my way lay through woodland. A straight road, at least 

 twelve feet wide, had been driven through it for our artillery 

 and waggons to go by, and it was as flat and soft as tan. 

 Had the night been pitch-dark I could have cantered the 

 whole way. But, as it happened, the place was ablaze with 

 fireflies, and / could not see an inch before me. Wherever 

 there was a natural glade or break in the vegetation, to right 

 or left, there at once opened out a glittering vista of these 

 dancing, flickering creatures. You could see, apparently, 

 a road, lamp-lighted, straight before you. But turn round. 

 It was the same behind you. There was a straight road. 

 Look to the right or the left. There, too, stretching away 

 into a hazy confusion of twinkling points, were straight roads 

 too. Stupidly mazed, I once got my horse's head round ; 

 but the beast was more sensible than I, and told me the 

 right direction, and I listened to it. 



So to speak of fireflies being a help to the traveller is 

 utter nonsense; they are the most provoking distracting 

 mischief-makers possible. Leave a path alone, and even 

 on the darkest night a sober man may learn to distinguish 



