The Illinois free trader and LaSalle County commercial advertiser. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1841-1843, 1842-09-02

party out TO ma MN early In the morn
ing.
had scarcely rolled my blanket about
me before it commenced raining in perfect
torrents. The lightning lit up the prairie
in every direction. and the darkness which
succeeded each flash appeared to me of
uncommon blackness. Fhe wind, too,
howled and moaned around US, and struck
a cold chill through my scanty covering.
Never have | seen or rather felt it rain SO
hard rs on that particular occasion. For
once it really seemed as though the flood
gates of heaven were opened, and the
water came down in body. | was tired
and faint, however, from want of food and
usual faliguas of the day, and wet as
was soon fell asleep.
The next morning while drying our
blankets, a party went out in search OF the
buffalo, and with success. They found
him badly wounded and unable to run,
and single we'll directed ball completed
at length our work. On taking off his
hide it was found that over thirty balls
had struck him; not one of them however
had touched him in mortal part, although
he must have died during the day from
the wounds.-Every pound of his poor
and tough flesh was brought into camp,
and after having been evenly divided
among the different messes preparations
were made for our immediate departure.
We had scarcely proceeded a mile be-
fore we encountered a narrow but deep
gully, running nearly north and south, the
banks Of which was iilled with water.-
With no certainty ofinding fordng place
near we dashed Immediately in and swan
our horses safely across. The passage
having been made the journey was again
resumed. and briskly we secured across
the smooth but desolatc prairie. We hur-
ried rapidly on with the hope that before
nghlfall we might discover either trees or
bushes of some kind to cook our buffalo
meat, but the sun went down and with it
all our prospects.
We gathered few buffalo chips--ex-
cellent fuel when dry and universally used
for cooking purposes upon lone prairies
but in the present instance they had
been dampened by the heavy night show
ers, and it was with the greatest difficulty
that we could ignite them at all. We
made out, however, to acdrna our meat a
little, | will not say that it was cooked,
and variously did swallow several pounds
Of the tough and unsavory food yet poor
as ii was, at tho time thought 1t the most
delicious meal had ever made.
That night, and for the first time since
we had struck the grand prairie, we were
serenaded by pack Of rascally wolves,
who skulked and howlcd for hours within
few yards Of orr ouposts. The "sign"
was considered as highly favorable at the
time, as these animals are seldom found
far from settlements. An old backwoods-
man remarked that we should find Indians.
white people or an end to the prairie next
day.
We made an early start in tie morning
and still continued the same course. A
| bout nine o'clock drove numbering some
seventy-live horses, as we then thought,
was discovered some distance TO our left,
to all appearance they were tame animals,
and many thought they could see human
beings among them.
Our main party Immediately halted and
formed while three or four OF us went out
with the intention Of taking closer look
at our neighbors. We hois,ed flag of
truce, and sorry looking flag it was. |
was the owner and possessor Of a hand
kcrchief which. in its better days, had
been white. 1t was now miserable
Witty brown imitation, but the same time
it came nearer peaceful color than any
thing we had, and was accordingly hoisted
upon ramrod and held high alolt. As
we gradually approached there appeared
to be no little commotion among the stran-
gers. Their actions were plainly those
of mustangs, and with the belief that they
were nothing else we returned to the main
party and the march was resumed. Among
the gang, when we first noticed them,
were two or three white spots which we
mistook for flags-a nearer view convin
ced us that they were young colts.
About the middle of the day, far to the
southwest, the deep blue range Of noun.
ltains were seen, and as we journeyed OF
they soon more plainly developed them
selves. This was a joyful sight to all
We had now been seven days upon the
prairie, averaging at least thirty miles {
day, and many began TO despair Of ever
getting off the drcary waste. There wa:
now prospect of "a change, and any
change we then thought would be for the