LotR -- Book 2 - Chapter 06 - Lothlórien

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by skip spence

Well, I trust that you are correct about this

Not 100%, I must note, but I presume that from what we know.

I guess my argument hinges on the fire intended to block exit out of the east gate, not entry into it I emphasive. If this fire's constantly being maintained as a precaution I've no case, but I don't think a fire of this magnitute could or would be maintained indefinitely. Besides, who'd expect anyone to try to pass through Moria? I believe the fire was lit with the explicit intent to stop the fellowship that entered Moria a few days earlier through the west gate from ever reaching the east gate and the sunlight on the other side. The problem with this interpretation is, of course, the issue of how the hunters twarted outside the west gate could alert their colleagues on the east side about the expected arrival of the fellowship, before it was too late and they'd already passed though. It also makes you wonder just how much Sauron and Sauruman respectedly knew about what was going on in Moria, and of just who it was that sounded the alarm.

Err... not sure if you understood me correctly: I did not say anything about the fire thing or anything that would concern it. I replied only to what I quoted and what you can read from my post. I would agree that the fire was probably lit just as you say, for a short time to cut off the Fellowship about whose presence the Orcs have learned (probably after Pippin cast his infamous stone into the hole in the floor). If you referred to my "block all roads" comment, it did not refer to the fire, but simply to the presence of the Mordor Orcs themselves, who were to wait there and do something (like get the lazy mountain goblins act) in case the Fellowship showed up.