Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1856-08-06
A RACE FOR LIFE,
Or Steeple Chase on the Prairies.


Or Steeple Chase on the Prairies
The first of June, 1s49! Seven years ago
How stranger than fiction it seems that on this
seventh anniversary of that eventful day, after
traversing all the vicissitudes of experience,
after boxing the compass of lifc's stormy sea,
and shaking hands with every extremity of for
tune, should be seated at last in this quiet
little sancfum; the hum of that mighty city,
which was then the goal of all our hopes a.
round me; the wild freedom of the illimitable
prairies exchanged for the confines of a dingy
office; my snortng charger discharged for
this old arm chair; the badge of the pioneer
laid aside for more peaceful weapon, this
"gray goose quill.''
1t was on this day seven years ago. Eighty
five of us, weary wanderers over the trackless
prairies, were day after day and month after
month toiling onward TO this land of gold,
whose lofty sierras and summer plains have
since gathered to their eternal embrace so ma
ny members of that gallant youthful band. 1t
was Sunday in the wilderness; the wagons all
sscorralled" on the banks of the sLittle Blue, -
the toil-worn mule scattered around, ioyfully
lance of the guard. Some of the party were
bathing in the clear stream, some cooking,
mending clothes, washing, lounging, or smok-
ing,and all enjoying to the full glorious sun
shiny day Of rest and Incidence, when some
evil genius possessed me with sudden desire
to be the first of the party to slny the long ex-
pected ''buffalo,'' animal we had not yet
encountered, but which now begun to be the
constant theme of conversation and conjec-
ture. Several of the boys were hunting tur-
keys in the margin of the timber, which skirt
cd the river, so that when l saddled up my
stced, and, with rife at my saddle-bow, started
out to the northward, the few who observed my
departure exchanged sly winks at my proba-
BILE disappointment, but never dreamed of the
thrilling adventure that l was so rashly rush
ing into.
Although we knew that we were about the
confines of the PawEee Territories, and had
indeed been warned by convoy of trappers,
whom we had met but few days previous, re-
turning from their distant wintering ground in
the mountains, that parties were out yet
confident in our numbers, and the entire ina
bility of our Impractical eyes to detect any
traces of them, we had attributed the we'll
meant warning of the old mountaineers rather
to a spirit of news mongering than anything
else, and rather dcspised those wild Bedouins
of the prairies of whom we heard so much,
but had yet failed to see.
Far away over the beautiful undulating and
yernal bosom of the trackless prairies l rode
gently along, on the qui rive for any indica-
tions OF the object of my desires, but though
! eagerly scanned the horizon L proceeded
not living thing met my eyes except few
antelopes, whose wary caution and quick per-
ception rendered them impossible of approach
upon the open prairies.
Far as the vision could reach, nought but a
monotonously unduating surface of gently
swelling and naked hills, covered only by the
buffalo grass and flowers of every hue, extend
cd in every direction towards the fair horizon,
when the blue sky of summer kissed the dis
tant hills glowing in the fresh verdure of the
advancing season.
Struck with the yoiceless solitude of this
untrodden desert, 1 rode slowly along, lazily
musing on the strange yicissitudes which so
suddenly translated me from college halls to
this wild scene, and had almost imperceptibly
placed some seven or eight miles between me
camp, when, far in the distance, directly In
front of me, / discerned column of dust,
which, as 1 supposed, betokened the long de-
sired buffalo. Away went romance and reficc-
tion. The ardor of the hunter took posses
sion of me, and hastily loosening my pistols
and glancing at my rifles lock, struck spurs
to my steed and galloped forward, never doubt
ing that the opportunity so ardently coveted
was now at hand
Charging down the hill and across the inter-
vening valley, 1 rose another gently swelling
roll Of the prairie, and as gained the summit,
again the moving cloud Of dust met my gaze,
and this time considerably nearer, and, as l
closely regarded it, perceived that it was ra-
pidly approaching, and began to discern the
flashing of bright objects cleaning out from
us obscurity. This looked less like buffa-