The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1890-09-12
A PRAIRIE WILDFIRE.
Sraphic Description of the On-ComIng OF
the Wall OF Flame,

the Wall OF Flame.
we all sprung up to see one of the
saddle aorses-a veteran in years and
experience - standing with his head
high in the air and pointed due west.
While ne looks as fixedly as if his eyes
had lost their power to turn, his nostrils
culver and dilate with excitement. We
watch him full minute. He was the
hrst to exhibit alarm, but now one horse
after another throws up his head and
looks to the west
Its fire, boysr'
Had it been night we should have
seen the reflection. Had there been a
strong wind the odor would have come
to us sooner. There is only a gentle
breeze-languishing, dying under the
fierce sun, but resurrected and given
new lease of life at intervals by an ur-
| known power. But now we can see the
smoke driving heavenward and shutting
tho blue of the west from our vision
now the horses show signs that no man
could mistake. A great wall of flame,
fifty miles in length, is rolling toward
| us, famed and driven by breeze of its
| own creation, but coming slowly and
grandly. 1t takes me two or three
minutes to climb to the top of one Of
the trees, and from my elevated posi-
| ton, can get grand view of the wave
OF FIRE which is driving before it every
thing that lives.
We work fast. Blankets are wet at the
spring and hung up between the trees
| To aka h11lJ RI INC bo MI
and 'moke, the horses doubly secured,
camp equipage piled up and covered,
and before we are through we have Wis.,
1tors, zen or twelve buffaloes come thun-
derlngr-pass the grove-halt and return
to its SHELTER, crowding as close to the
horses az they can and showing no fear
at our presence. Next come three or
four anteopes, their bright eyes bulg-
ing out with fear, and their nostrils
blowing out the heavy odor with sharp
snorts. One rubs against me and ticks
my hand.
Ielp! Yelp! Here are half dozen
wolves, which crowd among the buffaloes
and tremble With terror, and score of
serpents race over the open ground to
seek the wet ditch which carries off the
overflow OF the spring. Last to come,
and only a mile ahead of the wave,
which is licking up every thing in it's
path, is mustang-a single animal
which has somehow been separated
from his herd. He comes from the
north, racing to reach the grove before
the fire shall cut him off, and he runs
for his life. With his ears laid back,
nose pointing and his eyes fixed on the
! goal, his pace is that of thunderbolt.
He leaps square over one 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 low whinny
There is roar like Niagara. The
smoke drives over us in pail like mid
night The air seems to be one sheet
of flame. The wave has swept up to the
edge of the 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 intolerable. Thus for
| five minutes, and then relief comes.
The flame has passed, and the smoke is
urlVlnS away III GHlS pdGu Is d DlCoHo'
every Whit of which is an elixir.
In ten minutes the grove is so clear of
smoke that we can see every foot of
earth again. A queer sight it is. 1t
has been the haven of refuge for snakes,
lizards, gophers, prairie dogs. rabbits,
coyotes, wolves, antelopes, deer, butfa-
loes, horses, and men-enmity, antip-
athy, and hunger suppressed for the
nonce that all might live-that each
might escape the tiend 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 flourish of his
heels. The buffaloes go next, the deer
and the antelope follow, and in five
minutes we are left alone.
For fifty miles to the north, west and
south there is nothing but blackness-a
landscape of despair. Away to the east
the wall of fire is still moving on and
on, implacable, relentless tiend whose
harvest is death, and whose trail is de-
struction and desolation. Detroit Free
Press.