Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1870-11-09
Stlstt Storp.
A NIGHT on A BURNING PRAIRIE.
BY M'GREGoR STEEL.

| There were ten of US, and jolly COM
pauy we were. We all passed the great
er part of the summer hunting buffalo
and elk on the Plains west of Fort La
ramie, and had just returned to Nebraska
City to dispose of our skins and Indian
ponies and arrange our departure for
home.
Having been for over year beyond
the frontiers of civilization, We were eager
to get back to our homes. Business
matters, however, delayed the company
so thought I would take run up to
Council Bluffs on little matter, of which
more anon, and return soon enough to go
East with our party. The distance is
about sixty miles, and the road leads
through one of the most beautiful and
picturesque countries of the West.
The next morning by four o'clock |
was in my saddle scampering up the
bluff. The air was delicious A cool
breeze from the river greeted me, and
upon its zephyr wings bore up from the
valleys the rich fragrnace of the beautiful
prair:e flowers. A few snow-white clouds
were sleeping just above the horizon,
and glimmering with silvery Light
The sun could not yet be seen, but was
lighting up the eastern sky with unusu-
al brilliancy. 1t was October, and beau
titul birds were singing sweet songs
not like the mirthful music of Spring-bu,
songs full of sacness and burdened with
the dreamy melody of Nature calmly
waiting the dying and falling of her
crimson leaves. The weather was yet
warm and as the day advanced it became
unusually SO. Several weeks had passed
without rain, and The vast prairies were
parchad and cracking in the burning
sun l-A ir .7.d-A
1t was late in the afternoon when
came to little Indian village, nesting
under the bluffs, close by the river and
about twenty miles from my destination.
Here 1 stopped to refresh myself and my
pony, preparatory to my ride across the
bottom, a vast level plain thickly over
grown with prairie grass and rich with
the deposits of the Missouri since the
world began. The distance across is
about fifteen miles. but the level of the
intervening plain makes it appear not
morethan four or FIVE. eff e..r, VAR
After q delay of about an hour, l
was again en- route, with the hope of
reaching the opposite bluffs before night
fall. .-...-.- ...r.. i..... oI....... ..--.
The Indian trail which l struck led up
the river some ten miles, then abruptly
turned toward the bluffs. r s-7
As l neared the point of crossing, a
beautiful chain of bluffs, or sand hills,
loomed up before me-rising like waves
upon the oceans bosom, and extending
far up the river. These hillocks were
formed by the wind constantly blowing
the sand from the bottom lands, and
piling it up larger and higher. until
many Of them reach an altitude of sever
al hundred feet. But little vegetation
grows upon any Of them-some have
none at all-and on dry days the sand
can be seen drifting up to their submits
and trickling down upon the opposite
side. .., ... ......... .--r.-.-c ...... q.
1t is almost impossible to obtain foot
ing upon any them unless upon one that
has been formed for several years !;
therefore had to be satisfied with clamb-
ering up on one of long growth, but only
of moderate height. This one, however,
afforded me an extended view of the
beautiful landscape surrounding them
MY attention was here attracted to the
dark clouds lowering over the river, init
mating the coming of one of the terrible
storms which frequently sweep with
such fury the prairies Of the West.
To the south, as far as tie eye could
reach, were dense columns of smoke
curling up into the heavens; but it was
too far away for one to particularly