New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-09-19
TIRE IN THE WOODS!
BY ALFRED B. STREET.

Emerging from a grassy place where the
bough house was situated, | became sensible of
a strong penetrating smell as of burning wood,
pervading the atmosphere, which was also quite
| thick; so much SO, that the stars looked wan
| through it. Sweeping my vision around, saw
| in the East broad red stripe of light over the
forests, with an immense murky cloud illumined
at its lower edges rising above. As looked,
curls of bright flame flashed up all along the
| edge of this red stripe, and 8 low roar blended
with faint cracklings broke upon my ear. The
| truth darted upon me in moment--the forest
| was on fire--l rushed within the bough- house,
| and awakened my companions. We knew, how
ever, there was no danger to US for there was
the lake, and the skiff could in few minutes
place us in safety upon it, We therefore stood,
and leisurely surveyed the scene, The forest
was like tinder from the long drouth which had
prevailed, and the fire driven also before the
| powerful wind, was sweeping down upon us with
| tremendous speed. Higher and higher leaped
4 the flames, louder and louder came the sounds
of their progress. fierce glare lit up their
quarter of the heavens, and commenced casting
d lurid tint upon the sable pond and murky
forest surrounding it. The scene was now mo-
| mentarily Frightening, until at last the sandy
margin, the bough- house, the nearest trunks OF
] the trees, the mossy stones and old wet logs in
the shadows became visible, while enlarging
spots and spaces of flame could be seen lar in the
depths Of the innumerable Yistas of the forest.
As we we're thus gazing upon the sight, quick
shape darted from the woods, and the next IN
slant large deer, in the very frenzy Of alright,
with his eye balls bursting from their sockets,
shot past US, and leaped far into the pond
Scarcely had he disappeared before wild cat
his long low frame stretched to furious speed,
darted also by us, and dashed into the water.
blended howl then broke upon the air, and
several wolves, their necks bristling, and their
eyes cleaning, came gliding across the margin
and likewise plunged, one after another, IN the
reddening flood.
So light had the whole scene now become, thai
we could see the dark heads Of all these animals
their natural instincts overwhelmed in the pres
: ence of the common danger, moving above th
rough crimson surface, seeking the safety of thu
opposite shore.
We, however, still fingered, until We saw ;
huge wall of fire approaching us with quicf
and Wayering motion, raking the trees before it
as the cradle rakes the grain. Deep rumbllng
! and cracklings, blended with the bowling of th
: furious wind, and the screams of the escaping
J, birds, filed our ears.
At last, as the intense heat of the advancin!
= element began to flush our faces, we betook our
+ selves, with our Instruments, to the skill, an
I left the shore. =5. Al s5 4y-.sz -
The scene was now nearly at its height OF fear
y full grandeur As far as the eye could exten
- the centre from some cause was remaining a.
: most stationary. A moments recollection, how
ever, explained the reason. | have stated tha
" the pond had been visited before by me, for tn
purpose of fishing. | knew, consequently, tbs
= a stream put into the pond at point hit
< below where the bongh- house was built, afts
"a running parallel course with the head Of tt
: oval and athwart the path in which the fire wf
advancing 1t parallel length was quite broat
. diminishing rapidly, however, upward Ih
! flames had doubtless reached the border OF II
u spacious part of the stream, and had there bee
- arrested, while the upper wing had crossed u
3, narrow channel above, and was rlotlng IN l
. free course along the side of the pond, the low
: wing having met with no obstruction Whateye
!. sweeping somewhat IN advance along the opp
:, site border. On moved these fearful wings, Il
sh forest melting as it were within them, like sno
,et in water They had just completed the circu
! of the pond downward, their ends blending Wi
W each other, when the line in front, having cor
: pletely overleaped the watery barrier, rushed
. to the narrow margin. The bough-house "
= shriveled and the little grassy spot swallowed
d. the twinkling of an eye; while the flames hiss
}, along the edge of the water as II in rage at bel
:, thus stopped in their career,
y aie The whole scene had now reached it climax
= sublimity and magnifcenee. The shores risi
es, into slopes, as before stated, wherever the G
turned was one mighty amphitheatre of blazi
- fire. The roaring and cracking were trems
ON dous, drowning even the tumult Of the vii
m The sky was q dome of crimson, the tossi
:. waters flashed the same deep hue, so that {
,iy slliff seemed rocking in blood, and abroad v
. shed an almost seorohing heat and blindi
y light. Great mountains of smoke continua
ms rolled up, aud were hurried tumultuoasly
J. by the rushing and rioting wind Birds w
-. darting in every direction, nttering the m
\ ase plaintiYe cries, aud frequently dropping in
waters, suffoeated by the smoke; while, nc
for ans. then, agonizing howls and piercing screa
g. - rang from the burning forest, preelaiming
sale torments of the wild animals, deer, wolf, b
Janis a "a ontbar that Ind heen caught in their d
: and reeesses, and were consuming IN the fan
st. The greatest variety, was apparent in
sale blazing spectacle, Here great CULTS and
q. erns opened, of such keen splendor as to
! bv almost white, there rolled immense billo
ri. dashing up fiery spray, resembling what
- may suppose of He'll surging in its horrors.
Fiery serpents seemed darting through