As they proceeded, it became more distinct, and it was at length sufficiently visible that it was occasioned by a fire.

Mr.Falkland put spurs to his horse; and, as they approached, the object presented every instant a more alarming appearance.

The flames ascended with fierceness; they embraced a large portion of the horizon; and, as they carried up with them numerous little fragments of the materials that fed them, impregnated with fire, and of an extremely bright and luminous colour, they presented some feeble image of the tremendous eruption of a volcano.
The flames proceeded from a village directly in their road.

There were eight or ten houses already on fire, and the whole seemed to be threatened with immediate destruction.

The inhabitants were in the utmost consternation, having had no previous experience of a similar calamity.