Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1880-02-13
i A,RIDEs FOR LIFE.
: - O 8 EF31--s797 -E'.Iz-1 US
A Prairie Hunters Narrative.

A Pra1rie-dunter6s Narrative, .,:i
Poor Bill! he was kind hearted. good
natured old fellow, and the tears will
trickle down my weather-beaten cheeks
whenever I think Of the happy DAYS I
have passed IN Ills company. ! Side by
side we have wa ndered over prairie and
mountain, and side by side we have
fought the crafty red men who sought
our lives -, But he is dead; and o, what
q terrible death was hisl
| It was sunset of hot, scorching day
in August, when Bill and I made arrange.
ments for passing the night in a pretty
little grove of cottonwood, surrounded
by widely stretched prairie. After
making Hearty meal of vcnison steaks
We produced our pipes, and were soon
engaged in friendly smoke. Although
we were exceedingly tired py our long
ride, it was quite late when we wrapped
ourselves in our blankets and went to
sleep. ~s'1ss 80 = =.
II was aroused about midnight by hear
ing long, continuous roar, which at
first I thought was thunder; but when
I gazed upward, and saw the stars shin
ing brightly, and the western horizon
lighted up with ruddy glare. the truth
instantly flashed across my mind. :.
"Bill, cried I hastily, shaking my
companion, 1.-THE prairies on fire !"
."What!" cried Bill, springing to his
feet. "
But it was unnecessary to repeat the
intelligence, for Bill well knew what
that sunrise-appearing light in the west,
and that continual laundering noise,
meant. 49,:
"Buffaloes, tool" he calculated.
"But what's to be donc2' I asked.
Bill looked around him.
"We might let the bufaloes pass very
|'well by climbing a tree; but then we'll
lose our horses, and get burned to death
in the bargain, which is not at all to my
hiking. If we should fire the praire here
by the grove, we could then get out up
on the ground we had burnt, and escape
the fire behind us; but we would be in
danger of the buffaloes, for we could not
alone keep them off; and we haven't time
to run out short distance toward the
fire and light the grass there, so that
when the fire had passed through this
grove we could come back and climb a
tree to escape the buffaloes. Therefore,
the best plan can suggest is to mount,
and try to reach the woods to the south
east"
AS no other plan could be then thought
OF, we hastily mounted, and dashed off
in the direction proposed by Bill. By
this the flames were plainly visible, and
the prairie was lighted up for miles
around.
''Faster!' cried Bill; "JAe bufaloes are
gaining on us!'
We both had fine horses, but they were
quite exhausted, having travelled at a
pretty good pace since morning. MY
companions was little mustang, one
on which dependence could never be
placed: and it was with extreme difficult
ty that he kept his saddle. Although
we used our most strenuous efforts to
keep ahead, We were now among the
buffaloes, with the fire Kissing and roar
ing but IL short distance in our rear.
No pen can describe the sick faintness
that came over me when saw my com
panion's horse stumble and throw its rid
er over its head, then get up and con-
tlnue on with the living sea! attempt
ed to turn, but it was:useless, for the buff
faloes hemmed me in on every side; so
with sad heart spurred on, and lett
poor Bill to die, with the terrible thought
on my mind that perhaps I should share
his fate-be trampled Upon by thousands
of feet and my body burned to a cinder !!
About three miles further ahead I es-
pied, by the aid Of the light of the burn
ing prairies, Slight elevation which ap-
peared to be devoid of vegetation with
! the exception of a few stunted cedars.
1t l could get upon that knew would
| be safe: but the flames were fast coming
on me. and it was doubtful whether
could reach it with my horse in his
present condition.
However, spurred him on, and then,
for the first time, I noticed that the buff
taloes were gaining upon me at an
alarming rate; and by the time the next
mile was passed, found myself among
those bringing up the van of the herd.
continued to urge my horse forward,
and soon mile only interviewed between
me and the goal 1 sous hit. But should I
reach that goal? The heated air and the
dense smoke almost stifled me, and I
rode most of the time with my eyes shut
so as to exclude the dust raised by the
hooss Of the animals around me. No
one who has not been in similar con-
dition can perfectly understand the stu
alton in which was placed at that time.
Hall a milelay between me and place
of safety, and my neck was already burn
ed to blister by the heat.
It fairly made my flesh creep when I
heard the bellows of agony which the
poor, unfortunate buffaloes gave vent to
as they were overtaken, one by one, by
the ruthless flames. At one time I gave
up the race, but life was sweet, so push
ed on again, and my noble steed, scorch-
ed by the intense heat, made one more
superhu1nan effort. A moment more and
1 should have been overtaken by the de-
vouring elements, but my faithful beast,
trembling in every limb, rushed up the
little barren hill, and we were safe!
Immediately upon gaining the top OF
the knoll the noble brute fell from ex-
haustlon, barely giving me time to ex
tricate my feet from the stirrups. I
then threw myself upon the ground, face
| <Ao"A"dsO anu lucu WallCu 1OI luC ulc
to pass over ME. It did pass, leaving
the little barren knoll almost untouched
and following the terrified buffaloes.-
now turned my attention to my
horse, and after rubbing him down, and
administering to him as best / could
under The circumstances, soon had him
in fair way to recover. .-.1. ..
When dawn appeared, the fire had
spent ITSELF: = I passed the whole day up
on the little hill, continually surrounded
by dense smoke. Towards night II
commenced to rain, which it contiued to
do till noon or the next day, when
mounted my now we'll conditioned steed
and started out on the prairie to search
for the remains of nv luckless compan
ion; but in this was unsuccessful; so
continued on my way to Fort Laramie
with a heavy heart, &,@:r .s..,. 81
The Gazette de france gives list o
the coolest winters which have been OK
perienced in France since the fifteenth
century. The winter ct 14OS was tn,
s'great WINTER in which nearly all tn,
bridges in Paris We're swept away by th'
ice. In 1880 thousands persisted by cole
in the Capital of Franco, as well as in til,
outlying districts, and wild beasts de
voured human corpscs in the streets O
i Paris In 15O7 the harhnr 0f Noraai.lo