The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1903-05-08
A FOREST FIRE.


ence In a forest fire which could hard
ly be equaled In scope and tierceness
farther south, where the woods are
broken by settlements. The men had
pushed far to the north part of Port
Nelson into land Inhabited by tribes
of Indians, where no white man had
left trace.
We had crossed the mouth Of a
stream, he says, which forked twice
some distance from where it opens in
to the bay, making two long, narrow
deltas. BY sundown we had gone a
mile or so north of the upper branch.
The air grew hot and dry. The
light in the western sky was more
dense and solid than that of the sun
set, and Il extended round to the north
beyond the range of the setting sun.
We knew that it was a fire, and halt
ed on rising slope, where we could
get broader view Of the sky.
The wind was from the north west,
and the fire must be coming straight
toward us. In the hope of reaching
one of the deltas of the stream which
we had crossed about mile to the
south, we turned back and walked for
our lives.
We reached the upper branch of the
stream before the fire overlook us,
crossed it, and sat paHting On the
southern shore. The sun had set, and
the fire marked It's limits in a wide
sweep covering the northwest.
AS we sat waiting, the brush across
the stream cracked, and five or six
deer broke from the woods and stood
on the bank shifting.
The air grew dense. A dull roar
like a distant surf was blown to US
from the north. l climbed half way
up a small tree, and then / saw
sight. Perhaps five miles away came
the fire, sea of red fame under
wall Of smoke that rolled on in ad-
vance.
Before | descended from the tree
the smoke was on US. One OF my COM
panions, noting that the trees on the
delta were of smaller growth,
thought we were safer on the lower
delta, with two strips of water and an
island between US and the fire. SO
we moved on few hundred yards to
the next mouth Of the stream.
We were wrapped in smoke. The
roar of the fire grew like storm. We
waded into the water, took OIL our
coats and wrapped them wet about
our heads. Then we noticed that we
we're not alone. Round US, only
few yards away, stood groups of horn
ed creatures. Behind us black shape
lay in the water, evidently bear.
The danger had made the whole world
kin, and fear Of the common enemy
had made all the driven animals tame
to each other.
Ashes and cinders settled over us,
and we bowed our heads close to the
water. The heat grew intense. Then
with a stride the fire burst over the
northern bank. We waded to the
south and waited. Our coats grew
hot on our heads, and we "ducked"
again and again. l turned and look
ed at the fire. 1t mounted, l SHOULD
say, more than a hundred feet and
leaned across the stream, which was
fully two hundred feet wide. Under
that leaning bank of flame we crouch
ed In the water, which grew tepid.
and was foul with the countless ami
mails that for miles up were seeking
shelter In 1T.
1t was impossible for US to push on
to the next stream. We were dazeo
and parched, and il the fire leaped
this stream it would have caught US
in the woods.
Suddenly raised my head, and saw
the flames like clouds of fire leap over
OUT neduS duu oOlLC OuC uOpo VI WV
trees on the SOUTHERN bank. The
fire had jumped the stream.
For an hour we STAYED in the water,
waiting for the fire to burn out on
the northern shore. A great weari- |
ness and stupor weighed us down.
Presently we felt the air grow clearer
and cooler. 1t was raining, and we
dragged ourselves to the northern
bank. where we lay with our noses
close to the baked earth and slept.
Afterward we learned that the fire
had ruined stretch of timber three
hundred miles long and seventy five
miles wide, tract as long as from
Boston To- Buffalo, and half as wide
again as the uorth-and-south breadth
Of Observation-Disclosures Compan-
ion.
THE ONLl GUARANTEED KID
NEY CURE