The Shasta courier., 1868-05-02
SHASTA COURIER

SHASTA COURIER.
A FEARFUL ADVENTURE.
The prairies in certain parts of the South
west during a draught, sometimes become as.
dry and parched as tinder, and fire onee.
started among them flies with the feetnsss
isse vino and the fury Of the vOicano.f Y,
ttsthe matso Or tsast caught in its path with.
out the means of escape. Al
Some twenty odd years SINCE a party 81
three hunters were encamped in a small
grove in the far Southwest. They were on
their return from Santa Fe; but having had
a sharp running fight with a party of
Apaches, they had been driven far out of
their course, and had now paused to rest
| their weary animals.
They were all expert marksmen and when
the red skins turned back from the fruitless
pursuit, it was with such loss of their mum
ber as efectually to cripple them and make
the hunters feel safe from disturbance.
Two of the trappers were brothers, George
| and Ned Williams, whilst the third was
lifelong companion by the name of Parker.
They had kindled small fire. and having
cooked goodly sized piece of buffalo meat
which they had carried with them, they
were now smoking their pipes and chatting
and resting themselves.
8 Do you know" remarked Parker, after
several minutes chat on other matters, :" that
we've drifted into part of the country
where water is mighty scarce?"
"No. Have you been here before?"
81 was here ten years ago, and had just
about the worst time you ever heard of. For
the best part of three days hunted for
water without finding drop. My poor
horse moaned and staggered until he fell
down and gave up the ghost. and | keeled
over and concluded that Tom Parker had
had his last hunt and got throwed at last. =
But just then, as the good Providence willed
it, was found by a party of traders, and
they poured about quart of whisky down
my throat and soon put me on my legs
again"
THAT was during dry season, l sup
pose?"
"Just about such season as this-not
bit dryer. and it's my opinion that we had
best get back on the regular trail as soon as
we can. Have any of you seen any signs of
Apaches ?'
:" | believe you're right" replied the elder
Williams I'VE are indeed in bad part of
the prair,,, and ] believe the only fluid
among US is pint of whisky"
THAT stuff will do for the men, but the
animals would make rather hard work with
it," laughed Ned.
s. Yes; man and a hog, l believe, are
the only creatures that you can get to take
the stuff"
Some time after this Parker rose to his feet
and hegan snufing the air.
=" Seems to me there is something that
smells strange" he remarked haven't you
noticed ?"
Yes" replied George; 81 thought it
came from. eur fire."
Parker shook his head
. 1t isn't that; believe the prairie is on
fire.''
His companions started invountarilv, for
they understood too well the meaning of such
calamity. If such proved the case they
could save themselves by the common resort
of " fighting fire by fire :" but the desolate.
blackened prairie, and the cbarred cornses
OF buffaloes and wild horses, and the barren
waste that would be left, were sights which
they had no desire to witness, and necessita.
ted an experience on their part which they
all dreaded
The three now walked out from the grove
to take look at the horizon. They scanned
every portion of it in quest of the dreaded
element. At first they could see nothing
alarming, but Parker was sure that awav to
the northwest there was an unusual appear.
ance of the sky. 1t had faint redness and
glow which is witnessed when we look
toward distant confagration, and the me-
culiarly smoky appearance was more percen.
'tible than ever.
=. The internal Apaches have set the prairie
on fire." said Parker; " there is no need of
being mistaken about it."
How far away ~"
" A good distance off. Our horses and
ourselves, need good rest, and we can lie
down until daylight without fear.'
l. was now quite late in the evening. and
as the hunters were very much exhausted
they stretched themselves in their blankets
and were soon lost in slumber.
Parker was the first to awake. and when
ne did SO, the first thing of which he was
conscious was that the heavy smoky smell
nolced during the night was more intens;
ned. AT the same time be heard the horses
nelghlng, stamping and giving evidence of
UNUSUAL alarm.
Quickly, boysl" he shouted. "There
is no time to lose-the prairie is on fire I"
Several miles to the northwest they could
see fully fourth of the horizon one mass of
seething, roaring fame. Great arrowy points
OF tre shot upward, swaying swiftly with
serpentine motion, while vast volumes of
thick. heavy smoke rolled O. erhead. and
millions of sparks filled the air.
1t was fearful sight, one we'll calculated
to strike terror in the strongest heart.
:" Shall we set fire to the grass ?' inquired
the brothers.
Ii seems sparse and thin hereabouts.
repiied Parker. Yonder is a creek. which.
if | am not greatly mistaken. is broad
enough to stop the fire in this direction.-
That will be better plan than to undertake
to tire the grass. which may burn too Slow
But the brothers objected to this course, as
the creek OF river referred to was quite dis.
tant and after what Parker had said about
the lack Of water in this region, they had
strong doubts of its existence; and besides
their horses bad not yet recovered from
their severe exertion of the day before to
make them equal to a rapid ride, even if
only few miles in extent.
You may try it if you WISH" added