Bedford inquirer and chronicle. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1854-1857, 1857-02-27
A NoRTHER IN TEXAS

cold and faggy. The following morning
was warm but still foggy, making nur ride,
with a light wind behind us exceedingly
oppressive. We three of our coats, and
soon stripped off vest and cravats; but this,
we found, vas not enough, we were obliged
TO stop to take off our flannel Our horses
we're reeking with sweat. At two O'Clock
the thermometer, in cool, shady spot,
stood at 10 deg, and the sky was nearly
clear. We were very tired and thirsty, and
one of us suggested that this was the very
country and the very weather for mirage.
Ii was not long after we saw the edge of
The horizon rising in the Pickering heat, and
groups of trees standing free in tie air, as
an island or a point stretches off into the
sky Of hot day 90 the sea-coast. Then
| the trees connected themselves with the land
below upon each side, and we saw beaati-
full lake, the water ripping in the sunlight
Ii grew wider ind longer, aud shortly after
like the open sea, with rich aud shady
shore, extending up, at intervals, like bays
and rivers, into the land. Soon the lakes
we're common here and there about us,
calm of surface, trees of heavy foliage
bending over their banks to rest IL the wa
ter. Had we not been prepared, by a
knowledge OF the country, we should have
been strongly tempted to ride towards some
of them for drink of cool water.
Later in the day the air became clearer,
and pleasant breeze played upon our
back. The mirage gradually disappeared,
and We lost il in descending a swell in the
prairie. Ii was near sunset, With a dali
cloud bank in the north we were still
suffering with the heat, when one of us
said
e'See this before Us, what is It, fog again
or smokef''
"a prairie fre, think" said the other.
"Probably il is; but what is this ON the
hill close By, this is fog, surel5' 1t must
be anorther, listen to that roar, We must
be getting ON our clothes or Fe shall he
chilled through
First chilly Whit, then a puff, the grass
bends fat, and, bang, il is upon us--a blast
that would have taken top-gallant sail
smack out Of the bolt ropes, and cold as if
blowing across sea of ice. We galloped
to the nearest ravine, aud hurried on all the
clothing we could muster. Fortunately,
though our baggage was left behind, We had
taken a supply, having strapped blankets,
Guernsey shirts, and Granada leggius, be-
our our saddles.
AT nine o'clock the thermometer stood
at SO deg, and at seven next morning at q
deg. A thermometer hanging in New
Brannfels sh,wcd fall of sixty degrees in
seven hours.
These northers on the open prairies are
exceedingly irving. The fierce wind that
accompanies such sudden change gives
them triple effect, especially as they often
interrupt warm, relaxing weather. Team
sters, herdsmen aud travellers, caught ont
far from habitations, not unfreqaeutly per-
ish, and very great suffering is caused to
animals. Cattle instiDetively make for tie
nearest shelter of trees; but on the open
prailies of the coast, they fail by thousands,
before freezing rain, which is sometimes
added
The northe RS continue from one to three
days, growing milder at the close. and oe-
cur once or twice week during the winter
months But tight house and blazing
FIRE make one qnite independent of them
and such We found in the German Inn.---
Oimsted's Teras Journal.