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EPISODES 



297 



enemies the Pale-faces. My opinion, however, is differ- 

 ent; and 1 derive it from my experience in the woods as a 

 lumberer. I have always thought that the fires began by 

 the accidental fall of a dry trunk against another, when 

 their rubbing together, especially as many of them are 

 covered with resin, would produce fire. The dry leaves 

 on the ground are at once kindled, next the twigs 

 and branches, when nothing but the intervention of the 

 Almighty could stop the progress of the fire. 



" In some instances, owing to the wind, the destructive 

 element approached the dwellings of the inhabitants of 

 the woods so rapidly that it was difficult for them to es- 

 cape. In some parts, indeed, hundreds of families were 

 obliged to flee from their homes, leaving all they had 

 behind them, and here and there some of the affrighted 

 fugitives were burnt alive." 



At this moment a rush of wind came down the chimney, 

 blowing the blaze of the fire towards the room. The wife 

 and daughter, imagining for a moment that the woods were 

 again on fire, made for the door, but the husband explain- 

 ing the cause of their terror, they resumed their work. 



" Poor things," said the lumberer, " I dare say that 

 what I have told you brings sad recollections to the minds 

 of my wife and eldest daughter, who, with myself, had to 

 fly from our home, at the time of the great fires." I felt 

 so interested in his relation of the causes of the burnings 

 that I asked him to describe to me the particulars of his 

 misfortunes at the time. " If Prudence and Polly," said 

 he, looking towards his wife and daughter, " will promise 

 to sit still should another puff of smoke come down the 

 chimney, I will do so." The good-natured smile with 

 which he made this remark elicited a return from the 

 women and he proceeded : — 



" It is a difficult thing, sir, to describe, but I will do my 

 best to make your time pass pleasantly. We were sound 

 asleep one night in a cabin about a hundred miles from 



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