The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-03-19
hurting tireadfnliy.

morning, my eyes hurting dreadfully.
81 always go to yhe Belly river, when
the snow,is on the ground, by way of the
Sweet Grass Hills, and there camp one
night. One side of the hills is always
bare of snow, and there is spring of
water on the northern side of the center
hill.
ga strong south wind was blowing
when 1 started, but by noon l saw the
clouds of the north suddenly rise up. /
knew that the marshaling of the north
winds was completed, and they were
eager for the assault on the soft south
wind. On came the black cloud. The
south wind still blew fiercely, but it could
not stem the assault from the Arctic re-
gion. Birds flew south before the storm,
antelope and deer were running for
shelter.
"I had reached my camplng-ground and
stood looking far off to the north, seeing
the landmarks disappear one by one as
the head of the blizzard reached them
in its icy breath. A calm; then, with d
mighty rush and loud noise the head of
the blizzard swept past me. The air was
filled with particles of ice that cut through
almost horizontally, and seemed as though
they would never fall.
Colder, ever colder, grew the wind.
and denser the air as the icy particles
thickened. 1 sought shelter in the rocks.
Buckling the clothing to the mare, !!
not leave me. Then lay down on my
blanket, and, wrapping my blankets
around me, tried to sleep.
81 began thinking, and could not sleep.
The buffalo had not come south this win
ter, and the wolves were gaunt and hun
gry. AS they follow u horsemdn over the
plains in summer, so they do in winter,
only more of them, and those great, gaunt
famine breeders, the gray and black ones,
go IN largely increased numbers. had 2
pack of them at my heels all day, and
now they cropped up in my thoughts.
FINALLY l slept. When awoke it was
dark. Holding up my hand, l felt the icy
sweat of the blizzard strike sharply
against it. The roar of the wind still con-
tinued. 1 could not go to sleep again, and
lay waiting for dawn. WAITED, it seemed
to me, for houts, when suddenly felt my
mare paw my breast. l spoke kindly to
her, saying she had made mistake.
Soon she paved me again, and arose to
see the white mare.
alarmed, struck match under my
cloak and looked down to see the blaze.
I saw nothing, but the match burned my
fingers. With desolating despondency
realized the fact that the glare of the
snow encountered for the past few days
had made me snow blind; that l was fifty
miles from the nearest house. and unable
to see; that furious storm was raging.
"Stupid, almost wild with horror,
thought could hear the snuffing of the
wolves, and the soft patter of their feet
below the wild shrek of the Arctic winds.
1 was simply benumbed with terror.
With my eyesight in full power I should
kt,4 est Il
AS it was, considered it hopeless.
"The mare recalled me to myself by
rubbing her cold muzzle against my face.
She saw that something was wrong with
me, but what, she could not comprehend.
l resolved to saddle her, to feed her, and,
after she ate, to mount and let her take
her own course. So fed her the remain
ing measure of barley and waited for her
to eat. Then saddled up, and, without
bridling, mounted, and, wrapping my
cloak around me, sat steadily in the sad
die; awaiting the frisky action OF the
high-strung horse. She stood trembling
until told her to GO. Then 1 felt her
turn until the ice drops fell obliquely on
my right side and back, and she rapidly
walked off.
Wrapped in my cloak, with hood
drawn over my face, warm and encour-
aged with hope, patiently sat on the
horse. l could now hear the snarllng OF
the wolves, and my only fear was that
they, rendered desperate by hunger,
might attack the mare. dismissed the
thought-would not think of it. If they
did attack US. we were lost; if they did
not, thought we were safe.
Cali day the blizzard ragged and tore
icily around and on us. The mare walked
rapidly or cantered slowly on. 1t seemed
to me that we had been travelling on for
days-for weeks, even-when the mare
stopped and neighed loudly. Reaching
forward, 1 felt the rough stockade. Dis
mounting, I felt the hinges of the gate.
Loudly called; then took my rifle from
the saddle and rapidly handled cartridges
into it. At last a sleepy voice from the
inside called:
"'Who is there?'
II answered: 'Burr-and ] am snow
blind. Come to me- They came, and l
was saved-saved for the second time by
the white mare.
"Do you wonder that /, not having the
Sioux maiden, love her mareY
sat by the bright fire with my feet
high on a stool and did not answer
simply sat and smoked, and thought of
the girl, of the man, of the mare. Leav-
ing me thinking, Burr went to sleep in
his chair with softened face.