ed pouch which depended from his waist, and which went by the
name of a fire-bag in consequence of its containing the implements for
procuring that element. It might have been as appropriately named
tobacco-bag or smoking-bag, however, seeing that such things had more to
do with it, if possible, than fire. Having struck a spark, which he
took captive by means of a piece of tinder, he placed it in the centre
of a very dry handful of soft grass, and whirled it rapidly round his
head, thereby producing a current of air, which blew the spark into a
flame; which, when applied, lighted the grass and twigs; and so, in a
few minutes, a blazing fire roared up among the trees--spouted volumes
of sparks into the air, like a gigantic squib, which made it quite a
marvel that all the bushes in the neighbourhood were not burnt up at
once--glared out red and fierce upon the rippling water, until it
became, as it were, red hot in the neighbourhood of the boats, and
caused the night to become suddenly darker by contrast; the night
reciprocating the compliment, as it grew later, by causing the space
around the fire to glow brighter and brighter, until it became a
brilliant chamber, surrounded by walls of the blackest ebony.

While Pierre was thus engaged there were at least ten voyageurs
similarly occupied. Ten steels were made instrumental in creating ten
sparks, which were severally captured by ten pieces of tinder, and
whirled round by ten lusty arms, until ten flames were produced, and ten
fires sprang up and flared wildly on the busy scene that had a few hours
before been so calm, so solitary, and so peaceful, bathed in the soft
beams of the setting sun.

In less than half an hour the several camps were completed, the kettles
boiling over the fires, the men smoking in every variety of attitude,
and talking loudly. It was a cheerful scene; and so Charley thought as
he reclined in his canvas tent, the opening of which faced the fire, and
enabled him to see all that was going on.

Pierre was standing over the great kettle, dancing round it, and making
sudden plunges with a stick into it, in the desperate effort to stir its
boiling contents--desperate, because the fire was very fierce and large,
and the flames seemed to take a fiendish pleasure in leaping up suddenly
just under Pierre's nose, thereby endangering his beard, or shooting out
between his legs and licking round them at most unexpected moments, when
the light wind ought