The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-03-30
A BURNING MOUNTAIN.
A Fire in Wyoming That Has Been
Blazing for Untold Ages.

southwest of the Belle Fourche river. a
hinge body or column of sand tone rises up
ont of the plains and rears its lofty head in
solitary and deserted grandeur amid will
der,ass of desolate "bad lands" like the
6esecrated tomb of Absalom in the valley
of the Jehosaphat. Worn smooth in places
and in others cut into Jagged points aud
projections by the ceaseess action OF the
wind and rain for ages past, it still bares It's
boarv head to the winter SHOWS and sum-
,ner suns. and is landmark and budapest
for the weary and lonely cowboy as he
urges his tough little broncho across the
country in search of the festive beef steer.
II is known as Pumpkin Buttes,n and is
familiar from its close proximity to what is
known as the Burning Mountain of Wyom-
ing. 1t was while sitting around a cheer
fui log fire in the cabin of the ~. c."
ranch on Horse Creek, where | had been
overtaken by the storm one night during
fine late severe blizzard which passed all
through the Northwest, blowing its cold
and chilly breath of death on SO many I'M
fortunates that | first heard the history of
this burning mountain as it was related by
Ed H. Crapon, middle-aged man of I'M
doubted veracity, who has lived and worked
among these mountains for the past ten
years, and than whom there is no one better
yersed in their local history and traditions
This burning mountain is really coal
bank in which for years and years fire
has been smoulderlng, giving out, as did the
Shechinac to the Israelites of old during
their wanderings in the wilderness in search
of the promised land, "a pillar of fire by
night and a cloud of smoke by day." AS 1t
is far remote from any settlement, and
situate in the heart of what is known as
the ''bad lands" it is but little known to
any but the cowboys, whose duty leads
them more frequently through the wild
paths of the unfrequented country than the
more beaten ones of civilization.
To one visiting this burning mountain
for the first time the country presents
most dreary aspect. For a mile or more
around the several openings the ground sls
parched and baked and bare. Great beds
of coal crop out around this spot, and dur
ing the fierce wind storms that frequently
rage in this altitude, ethe fire, when it is
near the surface, is famed into terrific
blaze, which at times leaps high in the air,
and the sight at night when viewed from
distance, while weird, is a most beautiful
and fascinating one.
For fully half a mile the edge of the coal
reef the little tongues of fire shoot up from
crevices and run along the earth, turning
and twisting in all sorts of weird and fan
tastical shapes, which can only be com
pared to so many little devils at play, jump
ing and running and scampering hither and
thither, until stronger gust of wind raises
greater sheet that spreads out its fiery
arms like Satan himself, ON the approach
of which CONSERVATION seems to take pos
session of the smaller imps, and with a
scamper they all disappear into space.
Grotesque and ghoul-like shadows hover
about the outer edges while the mournful
dirge of the wind shrieking around the sides
and through the crevices of Pumpkin buttes,
the phantom-likeo outlines of which can be
seen at intervals, give to the shadows a Sc
nhfo1 ruhi oh VHs nf foe
Inferno" and the cowboys have appropri-
ately dubbed the place "Hadesitte."
Many explanations are given as to the
origin of this fire. Some claim that the
place was struck by lightning, while others,
among whom is my informant, Mr.. Crapon,
say that there is strange story told by
some of the old Indians who still hunt
through this country, explaining how the
fire originated. The Indian legend is that
countless number of SHOWS back, when
Wyoming was only known and marked on
the map as part of the ''Great American
Desert" and all the country west of the
Mississippi was still virgin wilderness, a
young brave of the Crow Indians called
little Chief With-Big Esgle-Claws," so
named from the circumstance that while
vet but boy he killed an enormous eagle,
the claws of which he ever afterwards wore,
on a buckskin string, around his
neck, fell desperately in love with a
beautiful young Indian maiden of the
ArapahCe tribe, who was known in society
as "Flower-That- Blooms -Snowdrift,"
from the fact that she was born late in the
spring by the banks of pretty little stream,
near which was deep bank of snow, with
flowers blooming around the edge. The
lovers met with much opposition from both
tribes, which at that time were at war with
each other. Yet, even as it so happens in
civilized circles, where a son loves the
daughter of his fathers most bitter enemy,
they persevered and finally were marie d
and the Little Chief With Big Eagle Claws
brought his bride home to RULE over his wig
wan.
But her beauty and the attention and
devotion shown her by Little Chief-some-
thing unusual among the lndians-brought
down on her the jealousy and hatred of the
other squaws of the Crow tribe. and, to use
the language of the present day, she was
''cut" by the bon ton and aristocrats and
ostracised from society. So Little Chief
put up his tepee some little distance from
the others, and they lived alone, happy and
contented i'll each others love.
Of this union one child was born,
bright-eyed, black-haired little pappoose,
that was the sunlight and starlight" of
their wigwam. But when he was yet
scarcely year old the war between the
Crows and Arapahoes broke out afresh,
and Little Chief went forth with the Others
10 40 DatUle. Iney camped III q uttle val
ley on tine banks of the Belle Fourche, and
leaving the old men, squaws and children
TO take care of the camp, the younger
braves went out i'll search of the foe, whom
their scouts reported lurking in the sur
rounding hills. In the first skirmish Little
Chief, who was foremost in the fight. was
mortally wounded and carried off the field
dead but the Arapahoes were put to flight.
When the news reached "Flower- That
Blooms-in-a- Snowdrift," in her lonely wig
wan that night she was distracted. Heart
broken and alone among strange people,
and people, too, against whom her own
tribe We're waging bitter war; the hus-
band whom she adored and loved with all
the ardor of her savage nature dead; a
widow ere yet the honeymoon had scarcely
waned her lot was indeed a hard one. And
TO add to her wretchedness, the other squaws
gathered around her, and now that Little
chief was no longer there to protect her,
Jeered at and Knocked her; laughed at her
sorrow, haunting her with the cowardice of
her brothers, and asked her why she did not
20 to her own tribe that were now running
and fleeing like so many squaws before the
superior skill and bravery of the Crows, and
they actually drove her from her wigwam
Clasping her little pappoose to her breast
She started out into the darkness and the
night alone with her sorrow and began her
weary march across the mountains, and,