The heat was still extreme. The air glowed as over a fur-
nace. There was not breeze enough to move a thistle-down,
and the sun shone copper-coloured through the brown haze.
In the train on the way to Melbourne, we observed an unu-
sual look in the sky; a cloud hung over the horizon of a dirty
white colour, more like wood smoke than natural mist, and
becoming more and more like smoke as we came nearer to it.
It was in the direction of Mount Macedon, and seemed to ex-
tend over the whole range of hills of which Mount Macedon
was the centre. At length it became obvious that many miles
of forest in that quarter, and apparently at that particular
spot must be in flames. Sir Henry was painfully anxious.
An aide-de-camp waiting at the Melbourne station informed
us that our fears were well-founded. The whole district was
burning. The Governor's cottage and Sir George Verdon's
house were safe so far; but fires of this kind, and in such
weather, spread with extreme rapidity. Lady Loch with the
children were still on the spot. Sir Henry flew on with a
special engine. The danger on these occasions is always
great and may be terrible. He would have had us go with
him; but we feared that we could be of little service--we
knew that we should be assuredly in the way, and we decided
to remain ourselves at a club in the city, of which we had
been made honorary members.

-149-