The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1883-08-17
THE PRAIRIE CIRCLE.


marks on the ground, of almost every
size, varying in diameter from five up to
fifteen and even twenty feet. The cir
Giles were often the subject of much
comment and speculation, and many
an evening was spent in the early days
of the State by travellers and others in
attempts to intelligibly account for
them, and to explain the causes that led
to their formation. They not unfre-
quently resembled the track made in
modern days by the tramping round the
horsepower of a thrashing- machine.
No matter how luxuriant might be the
grass and heritage around the edge of
the circle, and also in the area Of it,
there was always a track of foot or
two in width around the area, on which
nothing but few coarse and hardy
weeds and fungi grew. Various were
the reasons assigned by the first settlers
for the formation Of these rings. Some
asserted that they were caused by the
lettering Of an Indian pony, and that
the outer edge was as far as he could
crop the grass while so tethered. An
other asserted that the female elk there
defended her young from the attacks of
the wolves, and that the outer edges or
track where nothing grew were caused
by the pawings of her fore-feet. Still
another reason assigned was that in
very early times an Indian, condemned
to torture, was tied to a stake driven in
the battle-ground, and that he was
made to run round at the extreme end
of a rope fastened to his body, and that
his feet striking so continuously in one
track had worn out the ground, which
remained barren. Numerous other
theories were advanced, none, however,
ascribing the circles to their true cause.
Few men have ever seen one of these
circles made, and as | may be classed
among those very few, purpose in the
following relation to describe when and
how one of those prairie circles was
founded, on the prairie lying between
Fox Lake and Lake Emily in Dodge
County. 1t might be remarked, how
ever, that the statement is written out
from notes made long ago, to form one
of series of stories of early Wiscon-
sin life, and further it is as related one
evening to a company for their amuse-
ment. 1t was in the fall of 1916 when
the occurrence took place, and during
one OF those thunder-storms not un-
frequent in that summer 1t was, too,
during tempestuous night, such a
one as Burns described in "Tam o.
Shanter:"
" The wind blew as twad blown its last,
me rafting showers rose on the blast;
me speedy CLEANS the darkness swallowed
Loud deep and lang the thunder beloved:
That night, a child might understand,
The dell had business on his hand"
| had been sent for the doctor for a
neighbor reported in urgent need of a
physicians services, and had palloped
over the prairie with the mutterinos OF
the gathering storm all about me. The
physician at first declined to 90, but on
my representation that the woman was
deathly sick started with me. 1t was
now night. The open prairie was at
least three miles across, with but a
neck of openings and thicket, which at
one point crossed 1.-THE road passing
through the narrowest part of the
thioket. BY the time we had reached
the high ground of the prairie it was
seen that the storm was nearer than we
had supposed it to be when In the val
Icy. Though to some extent really
terrific, there was yet something grand
and even glorious in the whole scene.
TO the northwest there was an i'm
mense bank of clouds, the upper edges
of which were frequently lighted up
with the repeatedly piercing flashes OF
lightning, sending a sheen through
them and silvering for an instant their
edges with brilliancy and brightness
that was almost dazzling. Every mo-
ment or SO a heavier flash lighted up
the lower edges, or streaked the horizon
limo with blush or livid look, lasting
however only for an instant. AS if an
ticipating the impending danger, flights
of birds were plainly heard overhead.
Intermingled with the scream of the
curlew, and the peculiar wierd notes OF
the ployer, and the buzzing sounds Of
the grouse, rs they hurried to place
of safety and shelter from the now rap
idly approaching storm, was the twitter-
ing OF the smaller birds, as all by q COM
mon instinct We're fleeing the danger
that threatened them. Looking upward
there was no perceptible motion In the
clouds-the stiffness was painful. The
whole aspect of the heavens was
changed. Before ascending the incline
to the high ground there was apparent
Iy some chance to escape the storm and
reach our destination before it burst
upon as. Now it was too plainly to be
seen that a few moments more and il
would be down upon us with fearful
force. The moon, nearly at it's full.
had a sickly glare in its light, as if tim.
ldity had seized it, and it was scared Of
the scene over which it looked. The
horses were evidently frightened. There
was only one road, and that but q faint
one across the prairie, with, however. .
deeply indented Indian trail upon which
we were travelling, the horses clinoino
tenaciously to it.
The horses showed still more fear. and
the quivering of their flesh was plainly
felt through the saddle flaps, and thei1
snortings, and now frequent pawinos
added still more to our really unple3s.
ant positions. What if the horses
Suoulu Dredk away from us, and the
storm continue all night, and we alone
on the prairieP No efforts on our par
could make the frightened beasts move
from the spot to which they seem riv
eted with fright. The clouds were by
this time merged into one black hollow,
Overhanging the small space of clear
ground around us, as if a huge black
cauldron was inverted and descending
to cover us. For several seconds there
was no lightning; the low mutterings OF
the thunder seemed more distant, and,
though constant, appeared to be reced-
ing. There was, however, astillness in
our immediate vicinity that was omi-
nous OF something impending and to fol-
low, but whatP We could not divine.
All at once the thunder ceased entire
~, and the silence was then truly dread
ful to bear. At last a flash Of bright
and white flame darted across the black
arch hanging over us, Illuminating the
vast dome, but revealing no outlet for
our escape, could we have urged the