88 THE LOG OF A TIMBER CRUISER 
out waiting to finish supper, merely stuffing our 
pockets with what food came handiest. For fire 
brooks no delay and the same, on such occasions, may 
be said of Forest Supervisors. 
A hike of three miles brought us to the edge of the 
burning area, which appeared at this time to be one 
hundred acres or more in extent. We saw at once 
that we had to deal with what is technically termed a 
‘‘surface’’ fire,—that is, the fire fed chiefly on brush 
~~ and the young growth of pine, ground cover and fal- 
len logs, the litter covering the soil—rather than like 
‘ground fire’’ actually getting a hold in the humus 
and smouldering beneath the surface or like a 
“crown fire’? sweeping through the tops and 
branches of the larger trees. 
When we arrived the fire was climbing toward the 
top of Hillsboro Peak driven by a mild breeze from 
the north. There was a fairly dense cover here 
which made good fuel. Also the fire was ascending 
and would therefore naturally travel faster than 
when working on a level or down hill. So the flames 
leapt merrily upward, sparks flew before, and it was 
obvious that nothing effective could be done to check 
their advance until the bright line of destruction 
reached the crest of the mountain and started down 
the other side. 
Reid joined us as soon as we came upon the scene. 
He carried a long, steel shafted rake upon his shoul- 
ders. He was dripping sweat and his face and 
hands were blackened by smoke. 
