238 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AXD SPORT. 



country between the landing and Shebandowan Lake, 

 destroying small bridges, culverts, and cribwork on 

 the road already partly made between those two points. 

 Xo lives had been lost, and the two large bridges 

 which had been erected during the winter, and most of 

 the public property, had been saved by the exertions 

 of the workmen. The forest, which came down to 

 the water's edge all round the bay, presented a pitiful 

 sight. Xature never wears a more sombre appearance 

 than when the fiery element has swept over a forest, 

 burning every leaf, every small branch, and every 

 blade of grass, leaving nothing but the tall dismally 

 blackened trunks and burnt-up rocks around them. 



Such was the first impression upon landing : it 

 had a depressing effect on our spirits, for go where 

 we might, the scene was one of funereal mourning, 

 whilst here and there the peaty soil still smoked 

 heavily, showing that although no fire was visible 

 on the surface, the elements of destruction still 

 smouldered beneath it. During our subsequent stay 

 at Prince Arthur's Landing, we had more than one 

 opportunity of witnessing great fires in the woods ; 

 and the imposing grandeur of such scenes may be 

 imagined, but words cannot describe them. To be 

 surrounded by a forest, and to hear the roaring, 

 crashing, crackling sounds of a raging fire borne by 

 a high wind in your direction, is, we feel sure, the 

 most appalling of all human sensations. The smallest 

 and most despised insect seems then your superior as 



