Maumee express. [volume] (Maumee City, Ohio) 1837-1838, 1837-06-03
Number o.
x
A PRAIRIE ON FIRE.

rambles in the Far West, proceeded
over beautiful rolling country designa.
ted on tie maps as 4" Coteau Des Prairie
a ridge about 1000 feet above the River
st. Peters, and reached this place the
American Fur Company's old trading
post.
Wehave met with several adventures
: and among the rest came near being
roasted alive in Prairie fire. Ihave
to describe to you. Pliny did not die
more gloriously in the crater of Vesuvi-
us, than your humble servant might have
done in the Prairie Fire! 1t is worth
travelling ten thousand miles to be an ac-
tor in scene so sublime.
About an hour before sunset we spied
cloud of vapor in the direction we
were travelling rising gradually from the
earth, and spreading itself to the right
and left as far as the eye could reach.
+ II resembled at first fog have seen
rise from the great waste, the Pontine
marshes, and pass over the Mediterra-
mean in bright columns of a. feathery
form, until it was lost in a higher alti.
tude oflight. After halfa hours prog
. ress acquired a greater density, and like
a London smoke, extended itself over the
whole heavens. Suddenly, the sun which
had partially illuminated the sky, sank
below the horizon over the Rolling Prai-
rie country, in which we were travelling;
and all the light became instantaneously
transferred to the east, in these clouds
which became brighter and were driving
before the wind towards us.
Until then regarded it as phenom-
enon of the atmosphere, but the glare Of
light increased fast the air became heat
ed and snffocating, as the wind bore it
directly upon us.-The Indians, who
were far in advance. fell back and an
nounced the Praire on fire and, that it
was fast approaching US. At first there
was general CONSERVATION among the
whole party. | was alarmed and deman-
ded of an Indian who spoke few wolds
of Canada French, what was to be done.
Our pioneer, the old chief Whirling
thunder, gave instant orders for the
whole company toform a line, which ev-
cry one obeyed, galloping away to the
right and left, and dismounting some ten
or fifteen rods apart. In five minutes
every one had struck fire, and applied
J a torch to the tall grass of the Prairie,
which was soon borne before the wind
with terrific fury in the direction we had
come from, swapping and flying into the
air like smallnrockets. The glare and
: heat of the fire advancing in The other
direction increased every moment; our
horses became restive, snorting and ex-
hibiting the greatest terror, as it came
cracking and streaming in the air before
the wind, which had increased to per-
feet hurricane.
AT this moment the fire we had kindled
advanced slowly against the wind, and
from which we were retreating to avoid
flames and heat. The Prairie over which
we had passed being but a sheet of flames
gradually diminishing however in bright
ness. Here we were between two fires,
and both advancing towards us, though
that againstth the wind was slower and less
intense, but both extending to the right
and left to an immense distance. The
one before the wind we since ascertained
to have been about 40 miles wide, & to
have run distance of ITO miles, cros-
sing the streams by the force ofthe wind.
This scene, in connexion with the peril
Gus situation in which we were placed,
was grand beyond the power Of descrip-
ton. Thousands of buffalo, and deer and
wild fowl we're bounding and flying in
every direction around us, which added
to the noise Of the elements, sounded like
the clashing encounter of fhos!ile armies.
| have stood within the convulsive
crater of Vesuvius during night erup-
ton, and seen thousand travellers and
visitors flying ewith lighted torches
cleaning in the distance, before heiegy
waves Of torrent of lava. .Thave seen
the deep flood ofthe Niagara leap from
its rocky height into the foaming abyss
below and the rushing avalanche tuul-
BILE from the glaciers Of the Alps, car
rying desolation ard dismay TO the in
habitants of the valleys below-but to
witness vast prairie in thefar, far west
on fire, is scene more grand and thrill
ing.
'Tis vain to draw picture Of this
night on the prairie, when earth and air
were one complete blaze of light; per-
fectwhirlwind of fire and flames, and
the wild beasts were driven en- u2dSSe
from their hiding places.
The heat becoming intense, the old
chief gave the signal for retreat, by a
wild whoop, which was echoed by the
/ Il C IL. I.l;a.a fho,,nh half xuas