The Wood From The Shrubs Here Is Of An Aromatic And A Resinous
Nature, Which Sounds Nice, But It Isn't;
For the volumes of smoke it
gives off when burning are suffocating, and the boys, who sit almost
on the
Fire, are every few moments scrambling to their feet and
going apart to cough out smoke, like so many novices in training for
the profession of fire-eaters. However, they soon find that if they
roll themselves in their blankets, and lie on the ground to windward
they escape most of the smoke. They have divided up into three
parties: Kefalla and Xenia, who have struck up a great friendship,
take the lower, the most exposed fire. Head man, Cook, and Monrovia
Boy have the upper fire, and the labourer has the middle one - he
being an outcast for medical reasons. They are all steaming away
and smoking comfortably.
I form the noble resolution to keep awake, and rouse up any
gentleman who may catch on fire during the night, and see to wood
being put on the fires, so elaborately settle myself on my wooden
chop-box, wherein I have got all the lucifers which are not in the
soap-box. Owing to there not being a piece of ground the size of a
sixpenny piece level in this place, the arrangement of my box camp
takes time, but at last it is done to my complete satisfaction,
close to a tree trunk, and I think, as I wrap myself up in my two
wet blankets and lean against my tree, what a good thing it is to
know how to make one's self comfortable in a place like this.
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