Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1835-01-26
A PRAIRIE ON FIRE.
Ertraet from the Notebook Of Traveller

"Well then, you say you have seen the Prair-
los on fire73 "Yesn on have seen the IRE
on the Mountains and SCENT feebly creeping over
the grassy hills of the north, where the toad u the
timid snail are pacing from its approach; all thls
YOU have SEEN and who has not? But who has
seen the livid lightnngs, and heard the roaring
thunder of the rolling confagrahon which
sweeps over the deep clad prairies OF the west!
Who has dashed on his wild horse through an
ocean of grass, with the raging tempest at ms
back, rolling over the land its swelling waves oil
LIQUID fire!n "What" Aye, even So" ASK
the red savage of the wilds what Is dwtut and
sublims2 Ask him where the Great Spirit has
mixed I'D all the elements Of Death, and If he
does not blow them over the land In storm NJ
6re2 Ask him what foe he has met that regard
ed not his Fighting yell, or his sinewy bow?-
Ask these lords of the land, who vauntlngly chal-
lenge the thunder and lightning of Heaven, whe-
Their there IS not one foe that travels over their
land too swift for their feet and too mighty tor
their strength;-at whose approach their stout
hearts sicken, and their strong armed courage
withers to nothing2 Ask him again Gf he is
sullen and his eyes set in their sockets -
mHushl-sh!-shr --he will tell you with
a soul too proud to confess-his head sunk on
his breast, and his hand over his mouth
"thats medicine"
Isaid to my comrades as we were about to
descend from the towering bluff into the prairie
Owe will take that buffalo trail, where the trav-
elling herds have slashed down the high grass
and making for that blue point, rising as you
can just discern above, this ocean OF grass, a
good davis work will bring us over this vast mea-
dow before sunset We entered the trail, and
proceeded slowly on orr way, being obliged to
follow the winding paths of the buffalo, for the
grass was higher than the backs of our horses
Soon after we entered, my Indian guide dis
mounted slowly from his horse, and lying pros
trate on the ground, with his face in the dirt,
he cried, aud was talking to the spirits Of The
brare-for, said he, "over this beautiful plain
dweUs the Spirit of Firel he rides in yonder
cloud-his face blackens with rage at the sound
of the trampling notes.-the fire bow is in his
hand he draws il across the path OF the indian,
aud quicker than lightning thousand names
rise 10 destroy him: such is the talk oil my Ia
theirs and the ground is whtened with their
bones.-It was here said he, shat the brave
cor nf Uah-ne-tou, and the strong armed warri
ors of his band, Just twelve moons since, licked
the fire from the blazing wand of the great Ma
g;cian Their pointed spears were drawn up
On the backs of the treacherous Siour, whose
swifter flying horses led them in vain to The
midst of this valley Of death. A circular cloud
sprang up from the the prairie around them!
II was raised, and their doom was fixed by the
Spirit of fire Ii was on this vast plain OF fire
Grass that waves over our heads, that the swift
foot of Mak-to-ka was laid. tits here also that
the feet bounding Wild Horse mingles his bones
with the red man; and the Eagles wing is melt
cd as he darts over its surface. Friends it is the
season of fire; and fear from the wind, that
the Spirit is awake.
Pah- me o, ne-qua said no more; but mounted
his wild horse, and waving his hand, his red
shoulders were seen rapidly vanishing as he
glided through the thick mazes of waving grass.
We were on his trail, and busily traced him I'M
iii the mid day sun had brought us to the
ground, and our refreshments spread before US.
He partook of them not, but stood like statue,
while his black eye in sullen silence swept the
horizon round-and then, with deep drawn
sigh. ne gracefully sunk to the ground. Our
Bufalo tongues, our pemican and marron:fnt,
were spread before us and We were in the full
endowment of these dainties OF the Western
World, when quicker than the frightened Elk,
our Indian friend sprang upon his feet! His eye
skinned again slowly over the prairie's surface,
and he laid himself as before upon his face.
"Red Thunder seems sulen to-day" said
Bogert-",h he startles at every rush of the wind
and scowls at the whole world that is about
him.n s,There's rare chap for you--a fellow
,rho would shake his fist at Heaven, when he is
at home. and here is a grass-patch must make
his fre.medieins for circumstance that he
conld easily leave at shake of his horses
heels J, ~Not sac sure o. that, my hooney,
though we'll not be making too lightly of the
matter. nor either be frightened at the mons
strange actions. But, Baptiste, III tell you in
,ord. land thot's enough,) there's something
more than odds in all this medicine II this }