The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1850-10-09
smoke and fame lhu' lay between them

long. The prairie, composed Of reeds
and grass, damp with recen, rains, did
not burn with that lightning. like rapid.
Ity which leaves no chance Of escape
1t burned quickly, but steadily, and
Snow remarked that in some places
smoke predominn,ed over flame. Jus,
before them lofty clu,np of bushes
burnt high md brightly, but 10 The left
Of this thick black smoke seemed 10
indicate swamPy cxpunsc where the
fire had less purchase. They were
moving rapidly, The Indians not two
hundred yarAs behind them, along the
line Of the flame, and the Commences
were yelling with delight. They gain.
ed ground every minute on the fugi,ives,
and saw no chance Of escape for them.
"Close your eyes and follow" sud.
denly cried Captain Snow, seizing the
bride Of Mary's horse, und punging
hcadlong into the thick smoke Of The
smouldering swamp. The atmosphere,
which for n long time had been opprcs-
sive, now became absolutely sulloca.
ting. The noise was Internal. Crack
ling reeds, Kissing damp busl cs, flaming
grass, black vapor tha, chokcd and
blackeneJ, was all tha, they could dis
tlngnisll, with sense of intense heat,
then black plain covered with charrcd
wood, with s'nouldcring heaps of char
coal, lay before them. They had pas
scd with the lens, possible amount, Of in.
Jury. A few burns, Il ScOrchinu sense
of;hirsl, lnces us black rs negroes, were
all that had cnsucd from their desperate
and daring act. Snow pressed The
hand Of Mary in silence, aud then cx
amincd the horses. They were ire
pnrably lost. Their legs had suffered
burns which would render much farther
Ionrncying impossible; but they were
compelled, despite their fTighiil state
10 urge them OF again al their fullest
speed.
4 howl, .haL Snow knew loo well,
warn;d him OF II nem danger. The
savage wolves Of the mountains were
upon them in vas, drovcs. These ami
nals follow prairie fires in search Of The
cnrcusscs Of deer, turkeys, rabbits,
h"rcs, &c, that perish in the flames;
and collected in such force, become for.
midublc. The wrc,chcd horses ns,inc.
lively dartcd away. and the fugitive
band made for wood about five miles
oil, which had been spared by tie fire,
the grass near the trees being too damp
and too slIor, TO burn. As they rode,
they looscncd rifles and pistols, and took
their huge powder horns from the many
swathcs which had projected them
Several times they halted and fired Il,
The furious beasts. which 10 the number
Of about four hundred came on behind
them. Their shots told, and general
holt showed that The caiohp were Ell.
gagged i'll dcyourng their llnlucky com
pnnionS. At length the wood was
reached; and whi: by general lis
charge. they ior an instant checked rh-
advance of III" hnngry bru,rs, Mary
climbed Il tree, took up the arms, pr
visions and other traps, aud was lhrn
followed by Tho weary men. liz nor.
Sos gni!oprd away, and brcanc instant.
y prey 10 'hc savage White wolves
~ it'IIiitN i'' H')llI %! tirIJl.It r. ibC>t
10 enable the tugitivcs 10 talk over tar,r.
position. --Thrv then 81" and drank AMI
smoked in silence for half IN hour,
when al were Sufficiently recovered %
Nod . council! III" wolves we're howl
ing around the tree, which ofiv and
thick, ard seemed Determined no, to
abandon their rr"y Bu, the backwood
uio laughed 4, them. Their chief con.
ccfn was the los, Of their poor horses
and the prospect Of tramp home
They were now pretty secure from tho
Indians, who must believe them To have
persisted in the flames, and who would
choose road removed from The track
Of the caniin4rnrion.
They spoke some time in n low onr,
until the bowling Of the wolves bacnn,.
lnio'crnbc, and Captain Snow and
young Rock resolved 10 Ill themselves
Of the nuisance. They descended to
tho lowest branches of the tree, and
looked down. a fearful veil from
hundred lhroats greeted them; nnd the