Year: 1869

1t now became question Of speed,


before the direct approach Of the leaping


flames. And although confident Of our


ability to safely outrun the danger for q


time, we were painfully conscious Of our


inability to continue the flight at that rate


for any considerable distance. There


was no hope, then, but in reaching some


place Of safety soon. The succession oi
J hills over which the road led, while they
caused rapid exhaustion of our physi-


cal energies, at the same time gave us a


material advantage in checking the


progress of the flames, which, descending


their slopes, we're cub off for time from


the strong currents of air which urged


them on so rapidly.


At length, in descending a longer and


more broken scclivity than usual, our


eyes were gladdened and our hearts re


joiced by the sight of long stretch OF


water-a bay or inlet of the sea, which


extended from the right diagonally across


the dirsction which we were pursuing.


Our salvation was now seemingly in


sured. Yet upon descending to the shore


of the bay, it was found impossible to


cross the water, and our journeying had


therefore to be continued along the shore


to the left, how far no one could tell, be.


fore safety could be found.


With the prospect of relief from this


great peril came a consciousness of our


exhausted condition, so that it Was only
by the utmost exertion of determined


will that we were able to put one foot


before the other, and so drag our weary
bodies along. We dared not stop, know.


ing that the fl imes would rapidly over


take us, and stifened and helpless, we


would not be able to escape from their


furv.


Very soon we came to a wide stretch


of yellow sand, which had evidently been


the bed of small river, but the waters
of which were now entirely dried up.
| Rsjoiced at finding such a promising


barrier against the advancing flmes, we
confidently advanced upon the psrched
and cracked sand-bed, but before we had
passed half the distance over, the tresch.
erous crust gave way, and lett Us strug-
Cling in dangerous quicksand. Getting
out of the way of the houndering animals
as quickly as possible, and encouraging
each other by hopeful words and assist
ance, we all succeeded in regsining solid
ground, though utterly exhausted and
scarcely able to stand. The donkey which
Mr.. NJ. had been riding was go weak
and broken down that it made little effort
to extricate itself, and very speedily
sunk in the sand and perished. The
other two succeeded in crawling out, but
ons OF them was so nearly overcome that
it laid down on the sand and could not
be urged to proceed further.


Seeing that considerable fresh water
had settled in the hollows made in the |
soft sand, we dipped up several quarts of |
the liquid and gave the animals to drink. |
We then, having abandoned more of our |
baggage there, continued on along the
side OF the bay, hoping soon to find a
place which promised greater safety.
This hope was fortunately realized much |
sooner than expected. The shore line |
bordering this arm of the sea curved |
abruptly toward the right, and continued
o long distance in that direction, thus |
forming shoulder, which was perfect |
protection against the advancing couAa-
grafton. A broad belt of barren, rocky |
beach, extending out from this angle,
gave still greater security.


In safe place near the water We en-
csmped and refreshed ourselves with |
food. ia Iaoist places, blnches of fresh |
csne-brske and reeds we're found, which |
our donkey ate with keen relish; and a |
foot below the surface Of the sand, where |
q stream had flowed, water was found in |
good quantity. As night approached,
the wild animals, With which the forest |
vas thronged, hegsn to make their ap |
pearanOe, and seemed, from their raven
Gus manner, to be nearly starved and
Two of our assistants went back with |
some food to the donkey, which we had
left at the bed of the river, q short dis
tango sei,nd, sad they found the poor
beast someWhat revived, and slowly ma
king its way on toward our camp. The
FIRE, which was already raging terribly, /
even down to the border Of the dry river
bed, had alaFmed the animal 90 that it
made Que desperate effort to escape, and
lived to render good service long after
those fearful perils had passed. Our bag
gage, abandoned at the same place, was
recovered Oh the following morning.


All night long the FIRE ragged on the
hills north of the bay and in the valley
forests to the east, and the darkness vas
made almost as light as dag by its larid
glare. lnnumerssle Wild beasts ranged
10 and flo through the woods continually,
roaring aud bowling, and making such
bold deuonstrstisns that We were COM
PEELED, for safeiY, 10 haild large fires
aroand our position on the beach.


The next day, much refreshed, we con-
Iinued along the shore for several miles,
and found that this arm Of The sea, which
We bad thought - = oe bsy, was really a
,hannel surrounding q small jslAHd; AT
ts intersection With TIA sea, We found !
he nlents.lan and village Of Don Riquet
fhete nearly two thousand people were
gathered, mostly from the vicinity Of
San Msquero, and several Of whom we
we're acquainted With We heartily con-
pssk oikeF, aud united 10 re-
oieing over oar escape from . conaa-
.ratlot which spread eomplste ruin over
bousaods Of square niles For ten days
be hFe ragged, and destroyed millions of