The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-12-03
A PRAIRIE wILDFIRE.
Graphic Description OF the On Coming OF
tho Wall or Flame.

Graphic Description OF the On-Comins OF
tho Wall or Flame.
We all sprung up to soc one of tho
saddle horsos-a veteran in years and
experience - standing with his head
high in the air and pointed due west.
While no looks as fixedly as if his eyes
had lost their powor to turn, his nostrils
culver and dilate with excitement. Wo
watch him q full minute. IIo was the
first to exhibit alarm, but now one horse
after another throws up his head and
looks to the west.
cts fro, boys!"
Had it been night we should have
seen tho reflection. Had there boon a
strong wind the odor would havo como
to US sooner. There is only a gentle
breczo-languishing, dying under the
fierce sun, but rcsurrcctod and given
now lease of life at intervals by an un-
known powor. But now we can SEQ the
smoke driving hcavcnward and shutting
tho blue of tho west from our vision
now the horses show signs that no man
fifty miles in length, is rolling toward
us, famed and driven by a breeze of it's
own creation, but coming slowly and
grandly. 1t takes mo two or thrco
minutes to climb to tho top OF one of
the trees, and from my elevated posi-
ton, can get grand view of tho wave
OF fire which is driving boforo it every
thing that livos
Wo work fast. Blankets arc wot at the
spring and hung up between the trees
to make Il bulwark against the sparks
and smoke, tho horses doubly secured.
camp cquipago piled up and covered,
and before wo arc through we have Wis
itors, ten or twelve buifalocs come thun-
dcring-pass the grovo-hal and return
to its shelter, crowding as close to the
horses rs they can and showing no fear
at our presence Next come thrcc or
four antelopes, their bright eyes bulg-
ing out with fear, and their nostrils
blowing out the heavy odor with sharp
snorts. One rubs against me and liclls
my hand.
Iclp! Telp! Here are half dozen
wolves which crowd among the bufralocs
and trcmblc with terror, and a score Of
serponts race over the open ground to
seek tho wet ditch which carries off the
overflow OF the spring. Last to come,
and only mile ahead of tho wavo,
which is licking up evory thing in It's
path, is a mustang-a single animal
which has somehow been separated
from his herd. IIo comos from tho
north, racing to reach tho grove boforo
tho fire shall cut him Off, and he runs
for his life. With his cars laid back,
nose pointing, and his eyes fixod on the
goal, his pace is that OF IL thundcrbolt.
He leaps square ovor ono pile of camp
outfit and goes ten rods beyond before
he can check himself. Then he comes
trotting back and crowds between two
of our horses with a low whinny
There is roar like Niagara. The
smoke drives over US in pail like mid
night. The air seems to DO ono sheet
Of flame The wave has swept up to the
edge OF tho bare ground, and is dividing
to pass us by. We are in an oven. The
horses snort, and cough, and plunge, the
wolves howl and moan as the heat and
smoke become intolcrable. Thus for
five minutes. and then relief comes
The flame has passed, and the smoke is
driving away. In this path is breeze,
every Whit of which is an elixir.
In ton minutes the grove is so clear of
smoke that we can SEQ every foot OF
earth again. queor sight it is. It
has been the haven of refuge for snakes,
lizards, gophcrs prairie dogs. rabbits,
coyotes, wolves, antelopes, door, butfa-
loes, horses, and men-enmity. antip-
athy, and hunger suppressed for the
nonce that all might livo-that each
might escape the fiend in pursuit
For half an hour nothing moves. Then
the mustang filings up his head, blows
the last of the smoke from his nostrils,
and. starts off with a flourish of his
heels. Tho buifaloes go next, tho deer
and tho antelope follow, and in five
minutes We arc left alone
For fifty miles to tho north. wcst and
south there is nothing but blackness-a
landscape of despair. Away to tho east
tho wall of fro is still moving on and
on, implacablo, relentless, fiend whose
harvest is death, and whose trail is de-
struction and desolation. Detroit FREQ
Press.
Street Car Propulsion.
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