The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1876-09-20
A Dragon IN Colorado.


Ne,os says: l was travelling horse
back along stretch of country
which, for u long distance, merits
the appcllation of the Great Ameris
can descrt. As fur rs tho eye could
reach not living thing or object
created by the hand Of man could
be sccn. On every sido the horizon
only bounded the view, and not even
where the sky kissed the plain did
aught but tho scanty prairie grass,
alieady bmned to brown under tho
rays of the fast s,,mmering sun, lift
itself, dotted hcl Q and there by innu
merable cacti, from mother earth
Save tho quickly recurring thud of
my horses hoofs as. he lopcd over
the pr& ,ric, not sound was to be
heard, and tho stiffness was pro
found.
But the silence and tho solitude
wore not for long. AS I WAS about
to seek u place to build a fire and
blvonhc for the night, Suddenly a
lcnS training form started from the
earth, aud u queer rumbling cry
was borne to my ears upon the Yves.
tern wind. Hardly had the sound
died upon tho air when an intense
trembling scjzedmy horse, and, with
extended nostrils and d;slatcd eve,
ne begun looking on all sides as if
to find way Of esc"pe. And now
tho same strange cry was repeated,
and my terrified sight perceived an
enormous reptile, half serpent, half
quatrupcd, that was now running,
now creeping along the earth, with
incredible rapldity. Althong1 my
limbs almost refused to perform
their Office for terror, I had turned
mechanically to leap on my horse,
Notwithstanding that I knew that
the pace at which the monster was
far faster than that of a hcrsc at
full gallop, but the beas5 had broken
away from where I had tied him,
and quickly dcvoWing the earth
with rapid feet. Not, however,
away from the coming danger
Although destruction stared nc
III the face, l almost lost conscious
ness OF my peril in viewing the
strange scene that followed. As
soon us the terrible thing perceived
that the horse was able to run at n
rate that compelled an inconycnient
degree Of speed to catch up with
him, he suddenly stopped in his
career, ADD for moment remained,
silent and motionlcss, and the only
sound to he heard was made bv the
retrcIting horse, which was growing
fainter and fainter. Imme,liatclY
ere it had become quite lost to the
ear, the cause OF the bllltc's fight
began to utter Il sonorous roaring
that one moment sounded like some
british mother calling her young.
and another IL weird imitation OF the
coolny OF dove. Hardly had the
sound been uttered, when the horse.
which wHs now almost lost to sight
IN the rapidly growing darhn~,,%.
stopped. Presently &c tu ne.
around and bcgau with J. st.n.ny.,
to return. The noise still con>
.''iuco' "no even TO my human hear
ing seemed to have II pleading, in,
vlting note in it. Tho Brobd;nyna-
S''ii oca"'' TOO, M1d assumed tho
e'n,PG III o!icc OF cat ready to play
i "i'l' iior hlI'cns' ahd or serpent
Milcn CIylh6 10 charm It's prey into
I'D io1oS'
ana now let me describe the
i1 1l'o1'sSer; H hnkc oIhGr s:,urians, it
'N''' ''lo pooy OF ll%afd, llphlted
cn' ''S i'o'l 'l'' l. co'liu Judge, eight
I lI"'' p"' II" ProPclllhS power, as
t'iIo1"y u:uy Ho'o"' seemed TO EXIST
,i',c'S hr:S, II, II" 1"'i' Whlch strcamed
cc',''o ,u I''o nooy ut least II hundred
iool, i @ ! III ,'!'I'N ,!, ol tl1e moster must
i,t i'',o ,,, neI'i 'll'''y lect lonS by about
Ii''i s ''H'' ,.35 ''rI III "'u'i1' ana at least
'".'' o'S5 ii' ~ .I' loct tiiro"Sh' Inc
Icy :,S "ori'iI'' ,!I li''ie more tnith paddles
'1a,,' ",''. " 'no" , ~ push ''i,S hoGe nouy
'ionS' "l''' "PP"iciitiy III" httic