The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1852-06-19
WHOLE Nc 56s
An American In Africa-A Forest
on Fire.

y
Bayard Taylor, in one of his letter
to the New York Tribune, dated "the
White Nile" gives this graphic
sketch:
Yesterday morning there was
strong head-wind, and the temperature
was so cold that was obliged to wear
my thick capote of camel's hair while
| sat on deck, looking regretfully at the
beautiful Islands was leaving behind
me. Achmet heated and strained the
honey given me by the Shillooks.
which yielded between three and four
quarts Of rich liquid.-While the men
made fast to the bank for breakfast,
went on shore to get glimpse of the
country behind the forest. Paths trod-
den by wild beast led though the walls
Of tangled vines that elsewhere were
impenetrable, and ! crept along them,
uuder the boughs of strange trees, and
through thicke,s OF lu1uriant shrubs.
At length reached an open patch
OF grass four or FIVE feet in height, so
dry and yellow that it snapped like
glass under my feet 1t was dotted with
clumps of high shrubs, knotted all over
with wild, Towering vines, which form
ed admirable lairs for the lions and leo
Pards. There was strong smell Of lions
about the place, and deemed it pru-
dent not to venture far, since the rank
animal odor peculiar to that beast grew
more marked the further went. The
jungle in which stood covered a ton
que of land inclosed between two coves
of the river, and through the openings
IN the th'ckets saw that it led to others
farther INLAND. The wind was blowing
toward the river, and.as stood in the
midst contemplating the wild, lawles.
grouping of the different trees and
shrubs, some import darkness whispered
IN my ear what magnificent con-
hagratlon this would make and then,
perhaps, you might have the satisfaction
OF burning out a brace OF lions"
Without more ado, | whipped out a
box OF matches and struck fire in one of
the thickest tufts.
lhe effect was instantaneous, and 40
was my repentance. There was
crack and crash, like the explosion of
powder, and sheet of red fame lean,
INTO the air. In few seconds it had
spread to broad swathe of fire, rolling
rapidly before the wind, and leaving
the earth behind it as bare as the palm
OF my hand, The rank grass roared
+ and snapped as the terrible power had
so thoughtlessIy awakened, licked il
away and not the grass only. 1t siezed
,, on the vines and bore them down.
swung itself by them into the bough.
OF the trees, and found richer aliment; in
their gums and juices. 1t spread on
both sides and against the wind, and
soon the long spires of scarlet fame,
twisting in the air, rose high and hot
above the dome like tops of the amback
/, forest
! Before we lett the place, the volumes
OF smoke reached nearly to the other
side OF the Ni|e.-As heard its relant-
e less feet tramphng down the thckets,
tormented myself with pictures of the
evil which | had perhaps originated.
! | fancied it spreading from day to day,
; tapping the woods in coils Of flame and
fingihg their burning boughs from is
land to island, till of all the glory Of
4 vegetation which had filled me with
r such rapture, there was nothing but
few charred trunks standing in beds of
ashes. saw the natives with their
=. Aocks and herds flying before it, tho
wild beasts leapng into the flood tor re-
0 iuge from its red fapgs. and all this
Il glorious region gwen up to terror and
desolatlon. As we moved slowly away.
+, against the wind, watched it's progress
K with troubled conscience and an an.
f! xlous heart. Now it paused, and fat
s tered myself that there was the end, bp.
i the next moment the black clouds roll.
led up denser than ever. Thus It wa.
. vered for some time, but at last, thank
. God !! it seemed to fade gradually away,
and | gave myself the hope that it had
. not extended beyond the jut of land
!, wherein it was kindled.
Rare mspfol iii, and An ,~a-.I.