Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1849-01-18
For the Burlington Hawk-Eye.
INCIDENT AND THUNDER STORM.
cloud, deep, and long the thunder bellow'd.''


| INCIDENT AND THUNDER STORM.
cloud, deep, and long the thunder bellow'd.''
TAM O'SHANTER.
During that mania for speculation in
wild lands, town lots, etc. etc. known to
some as high pressure times, in the sum-
mer of 1886, was en- route for Quincy
from Chicago, and had tarried few DAYS
at the village Of K.--- waiting for the
land Office to reopen, and for the compa-
ny Of my friend k We at length had
advice that the Office would be open by a
certain day, and fixed upon the next after
dinner Tor our departure. The morning
Of that day was beautiful, the sun arose
clear, not cloud obscured the sky; be-
fore noon masses Of dark clouds began TO
appear in the south and west and gradu-
ally extend toward the zenith, mostly as
Stunning that form familiar to every deni-
zen Of the prairies, called thunder heads.
Before we had partaken Of dinner, the deep
low growl Of distant thunder at intervals,
was distinctly heard. Dinner over our
horses were at the door. Fifteen miles
were to be travelled over that day; at that
distance was a comfortable place to spend
the night. This was desideratum 10 ira
velers in those days. Many an anxious
look We cast on the line Of travel. The
heavens were hung with dark clouds grad
ually changing to black. Hoping to reach
our destined resting place before the storm,
we set out. The heat was oppressive, the
breeze sighed in fitful gusts, followed by
a stiffness in which not blade of grass
or leaf would stir; everything indicated
storm, and that this lethargy would ter
inmate in dire commissions.
Our track had been through prairie and
barrens, and before us lay three miles Of
prairie and two Of timber. before our des-
tination would be reached; when the hur-
ricane met us driving the dust from our
track and whirling light substances rapid
ly in the air, then came large drops of rain,
then calm, then wind and rain, a perfect
tempest. After passing the prairie facing
the heavy wind and rain at the edge of the
timber, little from our path stood cab
in. We made toward it, hoping to find
shelter until the storm should pass. On
reaching the door in which was standing
man, woman and three or four children,
we asked for shelter. The howl of the
storm prevented our hearing distinctly the
reply. Their laugh was hideous, and both
laugh and gesture convinced us they rid
iculed our dripping plight. We both in
terpreted the gestures alike. and without
communing with each other, instinctively
turned to the path, which led for two miles
through the forest. Choosing TO brave the
storm rather than remain with beings ap-
parently SO little removed from the brutes.
little dreaming Of the ordeal we should
pass through.
We had no sooner entered the wood than
the black masses of clouds appeared as if
acted on suddenly BY some internal force,
and came rolling with the speed ot,houcht
around us, belching forth thunder and lie ht-
ming. The whole fury of the storm was
apparently concentrated directly over cur
heads. To portray the grandeur and sub
Unity Of that storm cannot. The feel
ing of awe crept over me during the few
moments of its continuance, never will be
effaced from memory except in death.
The rain came down in torrents, drench-
ing us to the skin. The hurricane en-
braced the forest trees, hurling their trunks
and branches around us; thicker and fast
err fell leaves and limbs about our heads,
than ever fell bouquets or wreaths around
the head of iavorite actress. The ,hun-
der was a continued deafening irregular
but constant sound. Peal on peal, crash
on crash, drowning the noise of the tenn
pest and rendering every other sound in
distinct. The roar Of hundred cannon
would have been stnltifed and acknowl-
edged their inieriority to the artillery of
heaven. The lightning was almost con-
slant flash, dazzling our eyes, then for an
instant leaving us in the gloom Of Egyp-
tian darkness. Now the heavens were
sheet of flame, now numerous fiery belts
Of flame shot athwart the sky, now it APP
peared like huge fiery serpents darting
their fiery tongues to earth, shivering
strong oaks and scattering the fragments
in every direction, giving sulphureous
smell to the atmos phere, and to the rain
drops and water, the tinge Of FURNISHED
gold.
My companion was in advance. fol-
lowed close. The lightning shivered an
oak by his side. His horse staggered,
reeled, and fell back on his launches. He
turned to me; understood the look. 1t
said shall not we return, it is too terrific
to advance. l motioned to proceed; 10 adj
vance was no more terrific than to retreat;
to be heard in that uproar was impossible.
We passed through unscathed. Not with
out fear, we reached our resting place as
the storm had spent its fury and offered
up voluntary thanks for our safe delive-
rance.
The next morning was calm and pleas
ant. Nature wore her most winning smiles,
and il we had not SO recently witnessed
her frowns we might have thought she al
ways smiled. We pursued our journey
without accident. The heavy rain had
filled the sloughs, branches and creeks 10
overlooking. We sometimes travelled over
land and frequently through water. For
that day at least we were amphibious. F.
Major Jack Downing thus concludes a
"private" and loving epistle to his friend,
Mr. Polk, from the Head OF Salt River:
see they are looking round all over the
country for men to make up a Cabinet for
u Al