Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III FIGHTING AN AFRICAN GRASS-FIRE WHEN one passes into the Congo and Uganda country of Africa the veldt gives way to vast areas of what is called "elephant-grass." This grass grows not only in the open level and fertile country, but also in extremely stony regions and even in the open thorn-tree groves. When fully grown, elephant-grass varies in height from five feet to ten feet, and some of the stalks are as large as a bamboo fish-pole. The natives utilise the stalks in making fences and huts, while the blades of the grass are used for thatching roofs and for the sides of the buildings. Travelling for days and days through these vast grass areas, where the only trails are those made by elephants and other animals, is, indeed, monotonous. The stalks tower some four or five feet above your head, the tropical sun beats down upon your back, and every breath of air is shut out by the thick, stifling foliage. By the last of January the grass is fully grown,and a month later it is so dry that both the whites and the natives set fire to it in order to facilitate travel. When fired by the blacks the chief of the district usually appoints a certain day for the conflagration, that the people may keep their stock enclosed and make ready for the great event. On entering the White Nile from Lake Albert one evening about ten o'clock, we travelled all night, all the next day, and at eleven o'clock that evening came to a place that was eventually named "Rhino Camp." It was pitch dark and the native pilot felt uncertain of his bearings, so we thought it unwise to unload the boats until dawn should apprise us of our position; therefore we spent the night on the tiny launch, serenaded by lions, hippopotami or "hippos" as they are commonly called, and elephants. In the morn...