A HARD STRUGGLE 221 



return. for his co-operation and help had one of my men raised a 

 fire to sweep over his land and destroy his whole stock of horses, 

 sheep and cattle, a result that was for a time imminent. 



We all provided ourselves with sheepskins and began our 

 attempt to beat out the fire. It was raging in bone-dry grass and 

 thorn and the flames leaped up and scorched our faces. Every 

 blow with the sheepskin sent up a shower of sparks that got into 

 one's eyes and ears, and it appeared as if we should never make 

 headway against the blaze. We might clear ten feet for a moment, 

 but as we turned away the flames would eat their way back and, 

 rekindling, flare up in waving tongues and roar again. Of course 

 we were to windward, on the lee side the smoke rolled away in a 

 solid cloud. I do not know how long we worked on that upper 

 ring of fire, but slowly we succeeded in beating it out by sheer 

 weight and repetition of blows. 



The wind had by this time dropped a little, and the course of 

 the main blaze set downhill. At length we had beaten out a half- 

 circle and came to the crux of the affair. If we could but blot out 

 the fire to the south, where it was burning savagely among high 

 bushes and dry thorn, it was probable the situation would be 

 saved. 



We took a short rest of four or five minutes and began again. 

 The smoke was oratheringr and rollings in s^ireat ffouts, and we could 



o o 000' 



see nothing save the flames on the one side of us and the black 

 blinding dust on the other. As for ourselves, we were as black and 

 scorched as singed rats. We knew that the next ten minutes 

 would decide the matter. 



Beside the fire ran a meandering cow or game track, and it 

 was at this line that we meant to try and cut off the flames, which 

 were rapidly spreading and getting out of hand. One was 

 conscious of nothing but the thud of the sheepskins and the 

 figures of the workers leaping in and out of the smoke and flame. 

 I have never witnessed a wilder scene. The men shouted as they 

 worked. It was like a battle-picture seen in a dream. All along 

 the cow-track, where the fire lipped it, the sheepskins rose and fell. 

 A dense dun-coloured cloud rolled out and up, lit every moment by 

 explosions of sparks. 



