Page:Works of Jules Verne - Parke - Vol 1.djvu/433

 lids, looked steadily into the darkness with lack-luster eyes, and at length yielding to fatigue he fell asleep.

How long was he thus? He could not tell when he woke, for he was suddenly disturbed by an unexpected crackling.

He rubbed his eyes and jumped up. An intense heat scorched his face. The forest was in flames.

"Fire, fire!" he cried, scarcely understanding what had happened.

His two companions got up.

"What is the matter?" asked Ferguson.

"Fire!" cried Joe. "But who"

At this moment yells arose beneath the burning trees.

"Ah! the savages," cried Joe, "they have fired the forest to burn us, no doubt."

"The Talibas, the marabouts of Al-Hadji, depend upon it," said the doctor.

The "Victoria" was regularly surrounded by fire, the crackling of the dead wood was mingled with the hissing of the green branches, twining plants, leaves, all the living vegetation was embraced in the destructive element. On all sides an ocean of flame only was visible. Great trees stood out against the glow with their branches covered with burning embers. This burning mass was reflected upon the ouds, and the travelers appeared enveloped in a globe of fire.

"Let us fly!" cried Kennedy; "let us get out! it is our only chance of safety."

But Ferguson stopped him with a firm hand, and with a trenchant blow he severed the grapnel-ropes. The flames, leaping up towards the balloon, were already licking its sides, but the "Victoria," freed from its bonds, rose more than 1,000 feet into the air.

Horrible yells resounded through the forest, mingled with the loud reports of firearms, but the balloon, wafted by a current which had arisen with daybreak, continued her journey towards the west.