The morning call., 1893-02-12
TREACHEROUS ALKALI SPOTS.
Prairie Quagmires That Lurk Beneath
a Seemingly Firm Surface.
New YORK sun

"What are known as alkali spots upon the
Western plains" said the Gothamte who
had herded cattle for some seasons in the
Northwest. ARE whtish places on the prairie,
sometimes covering many &C res. Here the
akali has exuded from the soil and has the
appearance of lime sprinkIed over the sur
face This appearance is most noticeable
where the soil is damp. Some of these
places are of a marshy character. and
some of them, though this is rare,
are verltaole quagmifes. as delusiye
and dangerous as the Quicksands of the
Platte. They can be described only as
network OF swamp holes separated by
narrow strips Of firm soil the entire surface
appearing the same and equally firm. A
spongy soil or crust of varying thickness
covers the holes, and one might never suS-
pect their existence until breaking through,
he sinks rapidly into mushy, clinging, in
extricable mire.
"Herding cattle in Wyoming. my closest
companion for months had been young
man p years OF age, a handsome fellow
with classic features, n well-mGulded figure.
good rider and crack shot The rougher
boys often twitted lin about his fair,
shapely hands and his care of them,
for when on duty he always wore
heavy huckskin gloves He was reticent
and said little about his past life, but ex-
presSions he dropped and his know ledge of
college sports convinced me he was COL
lege man. Many nights far from human
habltation, in the open air we slept between
the same blankets or watched the herd
while communing with cur Thoughts and
talking to the stars which seemed so much
nearer and brighter than in the PARKWAY
Eastern home.
ut came about that one day after round
up thirty head OF cattle were missing from
the herd. There was a suspicion that they
ha6 81 nj htrr Int Ho,r
have wandered beyond the usual limits OF
the range; so the next morning my COM
panion and l were Instructed by the
superintendent to 60 IN search of them
We had ridden forty miles since the
break OF day, finding no trace Of the
lost cattle. and late in the afternoon had de-
cided to return. In short time we sal in
front OF as an alkali spot of unusual size.
AS we started to cross il my companion
was several hundred yards to my right
and short distance ahead of me- In a
few moments | heard an exclamation
from him, ana looking up saw his horse
sinking into the quagmire. Riding
rapidly toward him | felt the sur
face waver beneath me and | knew that
the next moment / might myself be en-
quilted. There was but one thing to do |
asked him il his feet were free from the
strrups, and he called back that they were.
l told him to clasp his hands above his
head, ana he did so. mentally measured
the distance with sinking sense of hor-
roT and doubt. It was supreme mo-
ment; my larlat descriD bed the circle above
my head. then cut the air, lowered over him
for an instant, descended gracefully and
frightened around his chest. 1t had covered
the distance with not an inch TO spare. | lit
orally dragged him from his horse to solid
ground and safety. He had locked his
hands behind his head, his buckskin gloves
protecting them and they saved his head
and face. SO that he brought up with only a
few bruises.
1T Was useless 10 think of extricating the
horse, which had sunk into the mre until
nothing but his head and neck we're above
the surface, and as We started off he turned
his head toward us, with eyes so sad ana a
whinDy so mournful IL was almost human.
| could not stand it, and drawing my Colts,
aimed and fired. His head dropped for
ward. Poor Pete was saved from horrible
lingering death and the most popular
bronco IN the camp was 20 more.
NOW came new discovery. The alkali
spot was of oblong shape, and as we rode
round IL to avoid another attempt at cross
ing. within space of about five acres, well
toward the center, we counted twenty pairs
Of horns just above the surface. as il they
were growing out Of the ground. We
were satisfied that we had fathomed
the mystery Of tie lost cattle. They
had attempted to cross the place and
had sunk into the swamp holes In their
struggles TO release themselves they had
naturally kept their heads up as long al
possible, and death oYertakIng them when
the m!fe reached their mouths and nOstrlls,
they remained ia that position with only
their horns above the surface. The others
Of the missing cattle had no doubt shared
the same fate, but striking a softer and
deeper mir, had disappeared entirely be-
In no rfnoa