Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1892-08-10

1 OOth NUN ahA
Slowly and cautiously he followed
these traces without making any
discovery, until towards the middle
Of the day, having climbed up a
slight eminence, he saw on the plain,
at about miles distance, large
Indian encampment.
At tho same moment tho Indians
perceived the captain, and leaped on
their horses. Cursing his own inn
prudence, Ferguson turned bride,
and began as quickly as possible
to retrace his steps. Arriving at
the outer border of the wood, he
saw OH the plain he was about
to cross, dense cloud of lurid
smoke extending on the other
side as far as the eye could
reach. 1t was q prairie on fire.
What was he to dop To return
was death; to go forward, destruc-
ton no less inevitable.
In this terrible emergency Fer
guson did not lose his presence of
mind, but continued to advance
rapidly in the direction Of the fire.
When he met the black advance
guard of smoke, behind which the
flame wound and darted like some
monstrous hydra-headed serpent,
Ferguson checked his horse and
dismounted. He tore his mantle
into pieces, fastened one as a band
age round his horses eyes, and
another so as to envelop the ami
mails nostrils; then he covered his
own face in a similar manner.
This was the work of a few NOM
ents-precious moments, for the
yells Of the advancing Indians be-
came fearfully distinct. His pre-
parations made, Ferguson remount-
ed, and facing his horse toward the
fire, spurred him on with the en-
ergy of despair. The noble beast
bounded onward, the fierce flames
enveloping him and his rider, but
the arm of the latter was of iron
strength; he held up his horse, and
impelled him through the fire. A
few desperate bounds and the tor
ture was over.
The fresh, cool air; how delicious
it was! Ferguson tore off the band
ages which covered his own head
and his horses. He is saved! He
has accomplished an unparalleled
exploit But above the roaring
and cracking of the flames, he
hears the triumphant cries of his
pursuers, who think they have
precipitated him into the ocean Of
fire. He made al effort to give
back defying shout, but his voice
died on his lips.
Half suffocated, both horse and
man had scarcely strength to move
across the blackened plain; yet
Furguson knew that without water
they must inevitably perish. - He
therefore summoned his remaining
energies and crept on, leading his
horse by the bride. All the poor
creatures hair was singed off, and
large pieces Of his hide came away
at the slightest touch.
Tormented by q raging thirst,
Ferguson dragged himself towards
the farthest extremity of the plain;
and when there he perceived a band
of wolves advancing with savage
hewls. This new peril reused both
the horse and his rider. A clear,
fresh stream was flowing by; into
it plunged the animal, and Ferguson
also dipped his head into the delic-
ious bath. Its restorative effect
was magical. He recollected that
the wolves in these vast deserts
are accustomed to flock towards a
prairie on fire, in order to pray OH
the animals escaping from the flames.
The captain examined his horse,
and found with pleasure that the
poor creature was much recovered,
and even neighed in reply to the
wolves bowling. More moved by
this plaintive neigh than he had
ever been by a human cry, Fergu-
son gently caresssed the head of his
steed, ana then mounting, urged
him towards the forest. The wolves
meanwhile were crossing the
stream in hot pursuit, their hoarse
yells sounding a thousand times
more terrible than the whistling of
bullets on battlefield.
A cold shuddering seized Fergu-
son. IF my horse should fallw
he thought. But thanks to his
vigilance and the feverish energy
of the animal, they gradually gain
ed on their pdrsuers; for the speed
of prairie wolf is much less than
that of feet horse.