70 THE CROSS-BILL AND THE LITTLE WARBLER. 
Before we quit the pine forest, I ought to 
describe a terrible scene that occasionally takes 
place there ; I mean a fire. 
The sap of the fir-tree is, as you know, of 
a resinous nature, and very inflammable. The 
lightning will strike a tree and ignite it, or a 
dead trunk will fall, and rub against its neigh- 
bour until fire is produced. Then the dry 
leaves that cover the ground kindle like 
tinder ; the hanging moss, that streams from 
the trunk, catches fire ; and the flames dart- 
ing through it, climb the tree, and lay hold 
upon the branches ; and spread from one tree 
to another, until a whole tract of forest is in 
a blaze, and the heavens glow like a furnace 
with the light. 
These fires are, as you may well imagine, 
very dangerous and destructive ; for they sweep 
onward with tremendous fury, burning up 
everything that lies in their tract. The wild 
beasts, and the birds, and all living creatures 
fly before them; and man himself cannot always 
escape with his life. 
The settler, who has cleared a space, and 
built his hut in the forest, is in great periL 
He is roused from his sleep by the snorting 
