The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1890-10-16
VIII DEERE ON The PRAIRIE.
A Graphic Description OF the On-cemins
Of the Wall OF Flame.

We all sprung up to see one of the
saddle horses-a veteran in years and
experience-standing with his head
high in the air and pointed due west.
While he looks as fixedly as if his eyes
had lost their power to turn. his
nostrils quiyer and dilate with excite
ment We watch him a full minute.
He was the first to exhibit alarm, but
now one horse after another throws up
his head and looks to the west.
Its fire, bovsr
Had it been night we should have
seen the reflection. Had there been .
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 un.
known power. But now we can see
the smoke driving heavenward and
shutting the blue of the west from our
vision-now the horses show signs that
no man could mistake. A great wall
of fame fifty miles in length is rolling
toward US. famed and driven by a
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
position can get grand view of the
wave of fire which is driving before i
everything that lives.
We work fast. Blankets are wet at
the spring and hung up between the
trees to make bulwark against the
sparks and smoke, the horses doubly
secured, camp equipage piled up and
covered. and before we are through we
have visitors. Ten or twelve buffaloes
come thundering-pass the grove-halt
and return to its shelter, crowding as
close to the horses as they can and
showing no fear of our presence. Next
come three or four antelopes their
bright eyes bullying out with fear, and
their nostrils blowing out the heavy
odor with sharp snorts. One rubs
against me and licks my hand.
Yelp! 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 mile ahead Of
the wave. which is licking up every
thing in its 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 lite. With his ears
laid back, nose pointing. and his eyes
fixed on the goal. his pace Is that of a
thunderbolt. He leaps square over one
nil nfn ,pI rnIS
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 a pail like
midnight. 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 intoler-
able. 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 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.
buffaloes, horses, and -enmity,
antipathy. and hunger suppressed for
The nonce that all might live-that eac h
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
uostrils. and starts off with a flourish
Of his heels. The buffaloes 60 next. the
deeI and the antelope follow. aud in
dive minutes we are left alone.