Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1885-10-08


horses in the East In spite OF the fear
which now possessed us all, there was
a certain glorious feeling in that ride.
After we had turned we could look of
at our right at the cloud, which was
rushing on with terrible quickness, and
which ] now fancied was pursuing us,
and us alone.
Suddenly thcro We a thunderous
sound toward the west and looking
that way saw q vast herd Of cattle
sweeping on, dark, surging mass,
with tossing horns glancing white in
the sunshine. for the sun was shining
brilliantly at this time. 1t was q stam-
pede. / never knew whether they were
frightened by the cloud or had been
urged on by the unexplained impulse
that sometimes comes 10 them to flee
madly over the plains. At another time
this sight would have been Of stirring
interest; now did not care to watch
the fight Of the cattle. l was too in
tent on our own race against the cloud.
The lightning was playing through the
black vapor incessantly. More clouds,
having the appearance OF common
thunder heads" rose and dispersed
themselves over the sky, and at last OBJ
scured the sunlight It was n relief to
me when the sun ceased to shine, for
the scene seemed less abnormally ter
rife.
Within few rods Of the opening of
the gulch heard roar, as Of oncom-
ing wind. Nan cried out again to her
horse. the animals ldrched forward yet
faster. and in a moment we were all
entering the rayine. II was extremely
uneven ground and covered by broken
sharp stones. NY sister and | were
watching Nan; she slipped OF tho sad
de and hurriedly motfoned TO us to do
the same. The instant we were dis
mounted the horses scrambled rapidly
forward into the gulch, and we did the
same, Nan now in the rear and driving
us along. That night found my shoes
cut and a cash in my foot but did
not feel the wound when | received it.
While we were thus hurrying to get to
the deepest shelter of Che gully, the roar
above ms was awful, and was increasing
every moment. II roverberated strange
ly through the ravine. We could not
have heard word had we spoken. We
all stopped simultaneously and looked
at each o.her. They were two very
white faces that / saw, with strained,
frightened eyes. Nan made a move
ment with her head that we were not to
go on; and we crouche1 down against
the rocky sides OF the earth. The next
instant Emma leaned heavily upon mc
and silently pointed upward toward
the chaSn's opening, where we
had enter led. The black cloud
was just going past our point
Of vision; it had dilated to twice its
former size, but seill retained its cy,in-
der shape. II il could be possible. il
was more dense than ever, and boiling
in its blackness. Balls Of fire sped back
and forth in the air; or my sight was
under an hallucination 10 that effect
All the phenomena seemed to have
their center in that cone of black cloud.
The strangest, the most awful thing OF
all that fearful experience was what !
saw now. Behind that black cloud,
whether following iior drivingit / know
not, came tall cloud of intensest,
most dazzling white Ia pillar Of glory.
growing every instant more like pillar
Of fire, and soon appearing to control
the inky shape The raving noise was
now at its height In a moment the
two mysterious shapes had passed from
our contracted line of vision, they
marched on. destroying as they went.
The crash Of timber along n stream not
far oil. the cannonading OF the thunder.
which had now opened its forces, and
above all the overwhelming roar Of the
wind, made us shrink and COVER closer
together. A iiercer blast caused us to
throw ourselves Hat on the stony
ground, grasping at each others hands.
So ignorant was that believed at the
time that we were in full power of the
tornado, instead of icing comparative
ly sheltered by the walls of the gulch.
Afterwari knew that we could hardly
have saved our lives had we not been
able TO reach this ravine.
Once felt touch on my head. from
which my hat had long since gone. |
found that IL was one of the horses.
They had all come back from their first
run up the gulch TO be near us; the three
stood huddied close by, when we had
chance to look. As recall things in a
dream. so | recall the incidents of the
time while we remained in that refuge.
Once, in glare of the lightning, and
while my eyes were open and my head
the top Of the gulch. They were sheen.
and their dead, bruised bodies were
found, as il they had been flung hard
against the ground, after the stolm.
Once something came down close by
me, hitting my hand where | had dug
my fingers ANONYMOUSLY down into the
earth. 1t was a small prairie dog, and
II lay still in death, near me. Many
prairie hens. the next day. were founl
dead, with almost AL their feathers
stripped off by the wind. While the
terror lasted there was hardly a lull in
the ferocity Of it, / thought we had
been hours hiding there. when at last
the rain began 10 come down heavi
and a moment after the wind sensib.
diminished TO hard gale. We were d.
rectly soaked thoroughly, but | think
none OF US cared for that. The hurting
noise Of the storm was still deafening,
but we felt that the worst was over. for
us at least. That demon cone of cloud
was flying further on its road Of de-
struction. but 1t had left u.s.
We Immediately got upon our feet
our horses keeping their heads close to
our shoulders as we did so. BY the
time we had CROPPED and stumbled our
way to the entrance OF the gulch there
was blue sky in the north, and the rain
had dwindled to a few heavy drops.
We stood a moment breathless, look
ing about us with scared eyes IL was
a wide plain where we were, and all
the devastation we saw at first was
that the row OF cottonwoods was lying,
torn up. some OF them halfway across
the stream they had bordered.
II am afraid Of what shall find at
home" said Nan.
As she spoke, she turned to her horse
and swung herself up into the soaked
saddle. These ponies are not tall, and
II IS possible for a woman to mount
,..il hnrIl hnlrn Va hnAL l.II.-...--I - |