CAPTAEC DAS HENRIE. 439 



his hor?e directly for the fire. On he went, not knowing 

 where ; the reins were tightened, and the lash and spur 

 applied with the energy of desperation. 



Hotter and hotter the air became, but on he careered, 

 heady and blind. The fire has struck him with a roaring 

 sijTge ! His hair flames crisply, and the flesh of his body 

 seems to be burning ! The frantic and panting horse 

 attempts to shy : but no, the fierceness of the agony has 

 turned that rider's arm and will to iron ! 



It cannot shy — ^the poor horse I On ! on ! scorchinc 

 through the stifling blaze ! A few bounds more and the 

 terrific surges are past ! The fresh air has met him ! He 

 tore the envelope from his face and leaped from the stag- 

 gering horse upon the charred hot ground. The blanket 

 is torn away from its mouth, and the animal begins to 

 revive qtdckly, though it shivers and can scarcely stand 

 for the mortal terror ! He is safe ! He has accomplished 

 an unparalleled feat ! 



He hears faintly above the crackling and roar of the 

 retiring flames a howl of triumph from his pursuers, who 

 imagine they have driven him into the fire, and that he 

 is burnt, horse and all. He makes a feeble attempt to 

 answer them defiantly, but can scarcely hear his own voice. 

 Stunned, and gasping to recover the use of their almost 

 stifled lungs, he and his horse stand, side by side, upon 

 that blackened plain, without moving a step for more than 

 an hour. 



But the perils of the day were by no means passed. 

 Before him, as far as the eye could reach, there was only 

 one charred, level, smouldering waste, which had to lie 

 crossed before he could reach water, for which both himself 

 and horse were now almost perishing. He started on at 

 last, taking his course at random, for one seemed to his 

 bewildered sense about as good as another. He did not 

 ride at first, but mercifully led his poor horse, untU the 



