The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1890-12-03
WILDFIRE ON THE PRAIRIE.
a Graphic Description of the On-comine e
of the Wall of Flame.

We all sprung up to see one of the
saddle horses-a veteran in years and
Notwithstanding 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 quiver 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, boys!'
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 a
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 flame 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 l can get grand view of the
wave of fire which is driving before it
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 doably
secured. camp equipage piled up and
covered, and before we are through we
have visitors. Ten or twelve buffaloes
come thundering-passt the groye-halt
and return to its shelter, crowding as
close to the horses. as they can anS
showing no, fear of our presence. Next
come three or four antelopes, Rneir
bright eyes bulging out with fear, and
their nostrils blowing out the heavy
odor with sharp snorts. One rubs
against me and licks my hand.
Yelp! Yelpt Here are half a 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 n its path, is mustang
single animal which has somehow beer
Separated from his herd. He come:
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 eye!
fixed on the goal, his pace Is that of ;
thunderbolt. He leaps square over ont
pile of camp outfit and goes ten rod:
beyond before he can check himself
Then he comes trotting back ant
crowds between two of our horses witt
a low whinny.
There is a roar like Niagara. Th
smoke drives over us in pail ik
midnight. The air seems to be on
sheet of fame. The wave has swep
up to the edge of the bare ground. an
is dividing to pass US by. We are i
an oven. The horses snort, and cough
and plunge, the wolves howl and moa
as the heat and smoke become intolel
able. Thus for five minutes, and the
relief comes. The flame has passed
and the smoke is driving away. L
this path is breeze, every Whit c
which is an elixir.
In ten minutes the grove is so clea
of smoke that we can see every foot c
earth again. A queer sight it is.
has been the haven of refuge for snakes
lizards, gophers. prairie dogs, rabbits
coyotes, wolves, antelopes, deel
buffaloes, horses, and men--enmity
antipathy, and hunger suppressed fo
the nonce that all might live-that eac
might escape the fiend in pursuit
For half an hour nothing move;
Then the mustang filings up his heat
blows the last of the smoke from hi
uostrils, and starts off with a fouris
Of his heels. The buffaloes 60 next. th
deer and the antelope follow, and
1--we minutes we are left alone.