The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1847-01-21
Westerll prairies.

Not the least remarkable features in the
Great Western Valley are the Prairics, which
are found in every direction over the face OF
its vast territory. They are Of two kinds, the
swelling or rolling, and Che level or fat. The
former consists OF unIuIating fields, broken
into swells or reaches OF various lengths and
brcadths, extending sometimes to an altitude
Of sixty or seventy feet. Between these swells
are sl0ughs, or d" sloos," which are generally
marshy, and in many instances contain small
lakes or pools, and some, which are dry, OK
hbit the appearance Of tunnels, and answer
Il similar purpose i'll carrying off water into
the caverns beneath, the existence of which is
indicated by the soil above. The fiat prairies
are plains Of rich aIIuvial grown with long
ank grass, and occasionally presenting lake,
and often studded here and there with groves
of the wild crab-apple and clusters of forest
trees, that look like emerald isles in a sea OF
waving green
The prairies are of various extent, from one
mile to hundreds Of miles. The largest are IN
the far-oh' West, the home Of the buffalo and
the red-hunter. Wherever they are partly
cultivated. as most of them are in the I" States
and where the annual fires are discontinued.
they soon grow up with timber. The soil IS,
with very few exceptions entirely ailuWai,
and yields immense crops Of Indian corn and
other coarse grain. When they exist in the
neighborhood Of settlements, they afford eN-
ceIlent rasturage for horses and cattle, and
fine ranges for swine, and are traVersed by
herds of deer the number Of which increases
near the plantations when not in too close
proximity, as their greatest enemies, the black
and prairie wolves decrease rs cultivation adj
vances Wild turkeys, ducks, prairie fowls
or grouse, and quails and rabbits, also abound
on the prairies, and afford great amusement
to Sportsmen. Numerous other animals, as
the gopher, the opossum, the raccoOn, etc.
are found in them, or on then borders
The wayfarer over these wide savannahs
will sometimes be startled by sound as u
hounds on the hunt, and anon a noble " buck
Of ten tines" will leap past him, followed by 6
pack of hungry wolves, yeping as they run
in hot pursuit. but he will look in vain fol
the sportsmen of the field he can but fancy
that invisible hunters, Z" horsed on the view
less couriers Of the air." are tracking THEN
came, and urging the wild chase. Some the
orsts believe the prairies to have been very
anciently the beds of lakes or Of the sea-
This opinion finds arguments in the alluylous
character of their SOIL and in the marine
SlGIS, WlllCll arc lnNdlldb lOuhh SliADSNOASN'
in the limestone of the adjacent bluffs
When the grass is thoroughly ripe, in the
autumn, towards the close Of November, most
of the prairios are burned, The fires some
times originate by accident, but more often
from the design of the hunters, to facilitate
them in the destruction of game. The dry
grlss which then is often as high as the head
Of a man on horseback, burns with fierce
and terrible rapidly, and extends the flames
for miles in a few minutes, impresslng the be-
holder with the idea of a general conilagra-
ton If the wind chances to be high, tufts
of the burning material dart like flaming me-
teors through the air; and as far as the eye
can reach, pail OF black smoke stretches to
the horizon and overhangs the scene, while
all below is lighted up and blazing with flu
rious intensity; and ever and anon, flaming
wisps Of grass flash up, revolving and crclin9
in the glowing atmosphere, and lending to the
imagination a sembance ofconvict-spirits tos-
sing in lake Of fire, The birds, startled and
bewildcred scream wildly, and tumble and
fly about above the flames the aifrighte1 deer
leaps from his covert and courses madly away
and the terrified wolf forgetful Of the chase
runs bowling, in an adverse direction.