Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1849-02-24

VI tAN A'iN'ohSt uiN iiO4ii !
proceeded to prepare himself for trial oil
the fiery sea. He cut his blankets into pie
ces, with one OF which he blndIolded his
horse; another he tied in loose bag about
the lower part OF its head, enveloping the
mouth and nostrils. He then enveloped !
his own face in loose vizor OF the same
material. The blanket was course and let |
in air enough to barely sustain life for
short time, while it kept out the smoke
He could hear the yclls of bis pursuers
seemingly close at hand. He was now in
utter darkness, and mounting quickly
again, headed his horse directly for the |
fire. . -.sL
On he went not knowing where the
reins were tightened, and the lash and spur
applied with the energy ofdesperation. Hot
ter and hotter the air became, but on he ca
reered, blind and headong. The fire has
struck him with roaring SURGE His hair
flames crspy, and the flesh of his body
seems to be burning! The frantic and
painting horse attempts to shy, but no, the
tiercenesS OF the agony has turned that RI
der's arm and will to iron 1t cannot shy
the poor horse! On on scorching
through the sitting blaze. A few bounds
more and the terrific surges are past The
fresh air has met him. lie tore the en-
veopa from his face and leappd from the
staggering horse upon the charred hot
ground. The blanket is torn away from its
mouth and the animal begins TO revive
Quickly, though it shirers and can scarcely
stand for the mortal terror, He is safe!
He has accomplished an unparalleled feat
He hears family above the cracking roar
OF the retiring flames, howl of triumph
from his plrsners, who ina gine they have
driven him into the fire aud that he is burnt,
horse and all. He makes feeble attempt
TO answer them defanlv, but can scarcely
hear his own voice. Stunned and gasping
to recover the use Of their almost slilled
lungs, he and his horse Stand, side BY side
upon the blackened plain without moving
step for more than an hour. But the perls
/ of the day are by no means passed. Before
him, as far as the eye could reach, there
were only one charred, leveled shoulder
ing waste, which hal to be crossed before
he could reach water, for which, both him
sci! and horse Were almost perishing. tie
started on al last, taking his Course at ram
> dom, for one seemed to his brwidered sense
about as good as another. lie did not ride
at first, bnt m-rci'ullv led his poor horse,
upti the heat OF the ground and the still
shoulder ring stubs Of grass became insuifcri-
BILE to his feet, and then he turned to mount.
! He now for the first time, looked at the
: animal carefully, and 10 his horror, saw that
every hair upon its body was gone, and
I nothing but the hare skin left, and that was
4 50 badly scorched in places, that it came of
> TO the slightest touch. This was dreadful
! enough, bnt--waier! water water he
= must have that or they would both die. lie
{ Sprang into the saddle and urged the wretch
t ed creature along with the last energies OF
G his sinking life. In an hour he had begun
/ to grow dizzy, and the b'ackenei earth
D swan round and ronnd and tossed him TO
: and fro, Now a strange noise was about
D him, and as the lifting waves of the earth
!, would almost seem TO leap up into his face,
], he would catch glinpsrs of huge wolves
II careering them, who would turn up their
e fiery eyes to his, and howl at him with red
!, hot open mouths and lo!ling tongues Sud-
$ denly his horse rushed down steep bank,
t and there was great splashing Water
d Blessed God, water, He !umbled from hi.
:, saddle into the cold, delicious fluid. In an
n instant his senses had returned, and he saw
! himself surrounded by thirty or forty prai-
If rie wolves, some Of whom were swimming
IS in the water after him, while the others sal
;, upon the bank OF the small lake, as he now
1t discovered il TO be, and howled fercely al
v him. He struck those which were nearest
e with his gun barrel and beat them Oft, while
o he had time to draw his heavy knife. One
e OF them had seized his passive horse, who
e while it was endeayoring to pull him down
Y stood still and drank--the long eaqe
: draughs. He split the VOLTS head witt
d his knife, and soon sent the rest hack out o
l. the water, yelling with their wounds. Blu
is those upon the bank only howled the lou
:! der, and they were answered near at hano
Is and from aiar by hundreds of others, whC
ir were swiftly Gathering in at the well known
e call 10 banquet. He now rememheret
II that these wParied and internal brutes al
N ways collect in large numbers to follow II
rs the wake of great prairie fire and tear tn
le carcaSses of those animals that are killed, o.
to band together, to chase and drag dowl
Sc those that come through alive, but scorched
le blinded and staggering, as was this poo
e, horse. They become very savage, will
of blood, impnnily AMI numbers, and very few
,e creatures which have escaped from hungr!
lt flames can escape from their more ravenou
q avs. The creature. at other fines, is ut
r terly coatenptible ior its cowardice, bat b
or shuddered when he called to mind tn
3 dreadful stories he had heard # their deadl'
al iiarceness at such times as this. "My God =
le he mourned aloud-''wasnt it bad enougl
n, for me to pass that hell of flames back yon
In der and have | only, escaped that to NEE
W fate thousand times more hideousw II
as looked at his horse /; the animal was now
to too, refreshed, and began to be conseiou
m Of the new danger as il gazed around wit
OF staring eyeballs upon the eager and swilll
re gathering crowd that howlsd along III
Id shore. Hesnorted in afright, and lifted hi
se head with a willy mournful neigh, tina
lis seemed to poor Dan the most pitrous SCUM
to fthat ever rung upon his ear before. + y
'h There was some comfort, though, III