OCR Rendition - approximate

184

Art of Travel.

Fuel.-Firewood.-There is a knack in finding firewood. It shoiild be looked for under bushes; the stump of a tree that is rotted nearly to the ground has often a magnificent root, fit to blaze throughout the night,

Dry Cattle-dung.-The dry dung of cattle and other animals, as found on the ground, is very generally used throughout the world, in default of better fuel, and there is nothing whatever objectionable in employing it. The Canadians call it by the apt name of " Bois de Vache." In North and South Africa it is frequently used ; throughout a large part' of Armenia and of Thibet the natives rely entirely upon it. There is a great convenience in this sort of fuel; because, as it is only in camps that fuel is wanted, so it is precisely at old encampingplaces that cattle-dung is abundantly found.

Bones.-Another remarkable substitute for firewood is bones; a fact which Mr. Darwin was, I believe, the first to mention. The bones of an animal, when freshly killed, make good fuel ; and even those of cooked meat, and such as have been exposed to the air for some days, will greatly increase the heat of a scanty fire. Their smell is not disagreeable : it is simply that of roast or burnt meat. In the Falkland Islands, where firewood is scarce, it is not unusual to cook part of the meat of a slaughtered bull with its own bones. When the fire is once started with a few sticks, it burns well and hotly. The flame of course depends on the fat within the bones, and therefore the fatter the animal the better the fire. During the Russian campaign in 1829, the troops suffered so severely from cold at Adrianople, that the cemeteries were ransacked for bones for fuel. (Moltke, in the Appendix.)

Sea-weed makes a hot though not a cheerful fire. It is largely used. The vraic or sea-weed gatherers of the Channel Islands are represented in many picturesque sketches. The weed is carted home, spread out, and dried.

Peat.-Travellers must bear in mind that peat will burn, especially as the countries in which it is found are commonly destitute of firewood ; and, besides that, are marshy, cold, and aguish.

Charcoal is frequently carried by travellers in sacks ; they

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