Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1824-12-18
From the Excursion 81 an Eagliaaman in
fhs United States.

| The road 30 St. Louis, With Inc ex
ceptinn of an occasional, tract Of forest,
passing through noshisg but Prairie.
II is customary with the Indians and
buntess to set fire to the long grass, tor
the purpose of compelling the game to
take shelter 10 the woods, where they
can more easily get at it. They do this
in the autumn or winter, when the
grass, which is often four or Ave feet
in height, becomes dry. Now the last
autumn had b, % very wet. and on that
account the Prairies had not all been
fred, SO that when passed through.
the grass, In many OF them, was s,l't
unburnt. had often heard of the
grand spectacle they present. when 90
fire, and wac fortunate enough to wit
mesa it was riding between Carlisle.
email village OH the Kaskaskia river,
and ST. Louis, when ebserved vsry
thick smoke issuing from smaI belt
of wood. on the edge of the Prairie, q.
bouttwo miles ahead OF me, and Just
where the road entered the forest. The
WIND was blowing towards me very VIZ
gently, and in a minute or two tho
flames dashed out OF the wood into the
long grass ofthe Prairie. That on tho
right hand of the road had been burnt
before, and accordingly rode little
off in that direction. Tue flames ad-
vanced very rapidly continued tospread.
and before they had arrived opposite to
the place whsrs stood, formed BLAZE
of fire nearly a mile in length.
How shall describe the sublime
spectacle that then presented isselfP !
have seen the old Atlantic In his fury,
thunder sorm 10 the Alps, and the
Cstarac,s of Niagara. bat nothing
could be compared TO what saw at
this moment.
The line of fame rushed through
the long grass with tremendous VIC.
lente, and noise like thunder; while
over the Ace there lowered dense
cloud of smoke The wind which even
previously had been high, was inersas-
cd by the blaze which it famed, and
with such yehemsucs did it dave along
the flames, that large mssses of them
appeared actually to leap forward and
dart toto the grass, several yards IN adj
vance of the line, and passed me like q
whlrlwind, and with fury | shall ns.
yer forget.
! afterwards saw several Prairies on
fire, but was not within two or three
miles of them. They produce beau
t:ful effect during the night, the clouds
Immediately over them rejecting the
light and appearing almost Oh ti,e
themselves. When during dark night
there are two or three of these mss-
dows on fire at time, the effect 10 OF
course very much heightened, and tie
whole heavens are then tinged with
deep and sullsn red.
Il was always forcibly struck by the
melancholy appearance Of burnt Pra
IRE. As far as the eye could reach,
nothing was to be en- but one uDifor NJ
black surface, looking like vast plain
of charcoal. Here and there, by the
road aide, were the bones Of some hors.
es or cattle, which had died In passing
through. or the horns of come deee
which had been killed. These, bleach
ed by the alternate action Of fire and
rain, formed, by their extraordinary
whi,spess, a most remarkable contract
to the black burnt grouOd on which
they lay
SWORD FISH.
An animal Of this species has been cap-
tured at Borrow stvunnees. On Monday
week. the workmen employed at Mr. As,~
ley's chemical work. observed a large 6,h
sporting within few yards of the shore.
As the wafer was shallow, one OF the men
was able to approach the unknown visiter.
A water dog was urged TO asssil him on
the other side, and nothing losth 10 have
a tug al tue intruder, began the assault by
hxlug his teeth into the animals neck. -
but Caesar either found the favor OF the
Ssh not 10 his taste, or discovered from
the weight and strength OF his antagonist
that he had caught tartar. tor be soon let
90 and made the beat lot bis way ashore,
pursued by tue fish, who was observed TO
thrust a formidable looking instrument,
something Like rusty clsymore, several
times over Casar's back. The fish. how
ever, in the eagerness Of the pursuit., run
himself aground, aud hispenemies dragged
him ashore. He measures SIX fect 10
length, including the sword, which is
twenty tive inches long. THIS weapon IS