68 
Mr Maxwell’s Observations 
Long Grass.— To all appearance, when seen from a distance, 
the grass would not afford concealment to a rabbit, but in reality, 
it is so long as to hide an elephant, being in many places 12 feet 
long. Even on the hills, where the soil is shallow, it rises five or 
six feet in height. The footpaths formed by the natives, wind 
through it in the most intricate and perplexing manner, and can- 
not be traversed but with considerable danger, owing to the con- 
cealment tind opportunity afforded to all the hostile tribes of 
these regions. To guard against attacks when travelling under 
night, the natives carry blazing torches made of plantain leaves, 
besmeared with an odoriferous resin. From this resin, a drug- 
gist in Liverpool extracted an essential oil which he sold for 
nutmeg-oil ! 
Conflagrations. — The great risk and inconvenience of tra- 
velling through the long grass being much felt, the natives never 
fail to burn it in September or October when completely dry and 
withered. A voyage to the coast at this season, were it only to 
behold the waving lines of fire, would be amply repaid. I had 
the good fortune to witness a scene of this kind at Embomma, 
where the hills rise more abruptly from the plain than they do 
upon the sea coast. Being in the night time, it produced an 
effect, not only sublime, but terrific. When the flames reached 
the hills, two miles from the ship, they cast so great a light, 
that it was possible to read on board. The fire raged in a con- 
tinuous blaze fully six miles in length, producing a noise some- 
what like distant thunder ; and from the Alpine nature of the 
ground, assuming a variety of singular shapes and extraordinary 
forms. 
I cannot but think, that the little hamlets and villages must 
frequently suflPer on these occasions, unless that the inhabitants 
take special care to have a sufficient space clear of grass around 
their dwellings ; and even then, the combustible materials of 
which they are built, leave them at the mercy of every falling 
spark. It may be remarked here, how liable they must always 
be, on that account, to accidents from fire. 
For a week or ten days after the conflagration has passed over 
the face of the country, nothing can be conceived more dismal 
and waste ; but the luxuriant verdure which rapidly advances 
in the beginning of November when the moist weather sets in, 
