Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1868-03-07

perceptible than ever
r The internal Apaches have set the
prairie on fire. said Parker; there is
no need of being mistaken about it,
'How far away 2
"a q ID distance off. Our horses and
ours need good rest, and we can
lis1(IgFn until daylight without fear.
{ 1t was now quite late in the evening,
snd as the hunters were very much ex.
tAausted, they stretched themselves in
their blankets and were soon lost
in slumber.
Parker was the first to awake, and
when he did SO, the first thing of which
he was conscious was that the heavy
smoky smell noticed during the night
was more intensified. At the same time
he heard the horses neig ling, stamping
and giving evidence of unusual alarm.
Quickly, boysp he shouted. There
is no time to lose-the prairie is on
fire y
Several miles to the northwest they
could see fully fourth of the horizon
one mass of seething, roaring flame.
Great arrowy points of fire shot upward,
swaying swiftly with serpentine mo-
tion, while vast volumes of thick, heavy
smoke rolled overhead, and millions of
sparks filled the air.
1t was a fearful sight, one well cal
culated to strike terror in the strongest
heart.
Shall we set FIRE to the grass?' in
quired the brothers.
1T seems sparse and thin hereabouts.
replied Parker. 'Yonder is a creek,
which, if | am not greatly mistaken, is
broad enough to stop the fire in this di-
rection. That will be a better plan
than to undertake to fire the grass,
which may burn too Slow
But the brothers objected to this
course, as the creek referred to was
quite distant, 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 had
not yet recovered from their severe ex-
ertion of the day before to make them
equal to rapid ride, even if onlya few
miles in extent.
You may try it if you wish, added
George Williams, but we amt quite
such fools as that
Parker felt somewhat touched at this,
and was driven into what he would
hardly have done had he taken time to
deliberate.
Mounting his horse, he turned his
head toward the southwest, and bidding
them good-by, started off at gallop.
The last glimpse he had of his friends
was to see them gathering tufts of grass
preparatory to setting them on fire,
when he turned about and attended to
his own safety.
Now, Jack, said he cheerily, ad-
dressing his horse, you have need of all
your speed. Bear me to the creek as
fast as you know how 1t is the only
water in this section, and you need it.
The noble animal stretched away as
if he understood the peril of himself
and master; but he had gone scarcely
half mile when his rider made a most
alarming discovery. The creek whose
borders were marked by line of trees,
was considerably further than he i'm
agined, and the labored progress of
his horse showed him that he would give
out before reaching his destination.
The hunter glanced anxiously back
to where he had left his friends, and
was half resolved to turn about and join
them; but pride prevented, and, more
over, he still saw them darting hither
and thither, busy at work, but as yet
they had failed to set the prairie on fire.
Their danger was equal if not greater
than his own.
About this time, also, he saw that
thousands Of buffaloes and wild horses
were laundering frantically over the
prairie IN direction which would lead
them into the grove.
His friends could not wait much
Logger before they would be compelled
to take to the trees to avoid being
trampled to death, and by the time this
danger was passed the other would be
upon them.
With shudder Parker turned back
and urged his horse to its utmost
speed.
The great desire of the hunter was to
get out of the path of this surging mass
of animals. He was riding at right an
giles to their course, and if he could
reach that portion of the creek toward
which he was aiming there was no fear
of being overwhelmed by this panic
stricken army of dumb animals.
Striking his heels against his horses
sides, he bent all his faculties and
energies into the one great idea of es-
cape.
1t will be seen that two great dan
gers threatened the hunter-that of the
burning prairie. and that from the
stampeding animals. Were it not for
the latter, be could have dismounted
in the tall, dry grass, and, by the means
of the flash of his rife, started a volume
of fame which would have speedily
given him safe ground to travel on.
But there was no ground for this, and
he had no thoughts of making the at
tempt.
The horse did his best, painting and
toiling as be had never done before !;
but swiftly as he went, it seemed to the