10 
A Savannah Fire. 
we recognized in the Soutli-East innumerable columns of smoke, the 
sure indications of a savannah fire, and the Indians anxiously urged us 
to hurry on because tlie conflagration would probably be rolling up to us. 
At first we ridiculed their fears that appeared so improbable, but by the 
next quarter of an hour our smiling countenance had changed into one 
of the most bitter seriousness. The danger increased with every minute 
and soon the awful knowledge dawned upon us that we could not escape 
it. Look in whichever direction we might, we could nowhere discern 
any darker coloration in the grassy flats, the site of a swamp; Ave could 
nowhere distinguish one of the oases.. But we already recognized the 
coluiiin (if lire itself that, fanned by an ui)S]>ringiiig South-East wind, 
was rushing headlong towards us, and we distinctly lieard tlie smashing 
and roaring of the spluttering lierl)age, when the sharp eyes of tlie In- 
dians discovered some small rises ahead, that were only s])arsely covered 
with low grass, and thitlier aac hurried Idindly, so as to let the nnre- 
strained element rage past. Half a minute later, and a terrible death 
would have l)een our lot. Witli wildly beating hearts we saw the sea of 
fire that had already encompa.ssed ns, rolling up like a gust of wind, 
the glowing flames scorching our faces and forcing us to turn our backs, 
and await the awful r)STchological moment in tlie resignation of despair. 
The blazing breath of flame shot up towards me — two glowing arms of 
fire glided round the bottom of tlie hill to junction again ahead in a wav- 
intr mass, at which T stared with an inward shudder, until it gradually 
withdrew — we were saved ! Tlie flames had. it is true, singed the short 
arass along the hill-side, but had not met sufficient fuel to permit of our 
horrible fears becoming terrible realities. Whole ci'owds of greedv birds of 
prey, like hungrv jackals, circled around and alongside the column of fire 
and gave chase to the half-burnt snakes and liznrfls that were escaping 
from the unfettered element. When witli the rapiditv of liühtninü thev 
swooped down on the prev desrvied. and for a moment disanrteared 
nmona' the Avreaths of smoke, it look' d ns thoueh they wanted to immo- 
late themselves in fire 
25. The deafening noise soon sul^sided, while the black clouds still 
indicated the devastating course the fiie was raking : as the South-East 
wind that was still blowing covered ns with the light ashes over 
which we were now treading we soon became regular chimney- 
sweeps. That tlie Indians possessed infinitely more stoical equanimity 
than we di<l, was again demonstrated here: while the terror of the sus- 
pense still weighed upon us like an oppressive nightmare for a consider- 
able time afterwards, they were already on the road with smiling coun- 
tenances and continuous witticisms over the change which the ashes had 
made in our appearance. And yet at every step the torment of thir.st 
increased and with every lireath the mucous memlirane of the mouth and 
nose became completely covered with the fine charcoal-dust. 
26. After more than an hour-long trip, we finally saw a thickly 
wooded fringe starting up ahead, to which the siren voice of the waters 
nf the Mahn was soon joined. With doulde-quick stride we hastened on, 
to moisten our dried-up mouths, to quench our scorching thirst, and free 
piir bodies from the unpleasant ashy-dust that covered them , The yearnr 
