Travels Through North America 



retired from the flames, till at length they got herded 

 together in a very small compass. Then, blinded 

 and suffocated by the smoke, and scorched by the 

 fire, which every moment came nearer to them, they 

 forced their way, under the greatest trepidation and 

 dismay, through flames; and were no sooner got 

 into the open daylight again, than they were shot 

 by the hunters, who stood without, and were in readi- 

 ness to fire upon them. The trees included within 

 the circle, although not absolutely burnt down, were 

 so dried and injured, that they never vegetated any 

 more : and as the fire did not only contract itself in- 

 wardly, but dilated also outwardly, and sometimes 

 continued burning for several weeks, till rain, or 

 some accidental circumstance put it out; it is in- 

 credible what injury and devastation it occasioned in 

 the woods. I was once a spectator of a similar fire in 

 Virginia, which had happened through accident. 

 Nothing could be more awful and tremendous than 

 the sight. It was of great extent, and burned several 

 weeks before the inhabitants could subdue it. They 

 effected it at last by cutting away the underwood, in 

 wide and long avenues, to leeward of the fire, by 

 which it was deprived of the means of communicat- 

 ing or spreading any farther. In Virginia (and, I 

 believe, the other colonies), there is an express act 

 of assembly, passed in the 12th year of his late 

 majesty, to forbid this practice. 



The province of New Hampshire, I was informed 

 [148] 



