The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1893-04-13
PRAIRIE QUACHMIRES.
A Wyoming Herder's Thrilling story
of His Rescue of a COMPANION

"What are known as alkali spots
upon the western plains" New York
Sun man was informed by Gotha-
mite who had herded cattle for some
seasons in the northwest, "are whitish
places on the prairie, sometimes cover
ing many acres. Here the alkali has
exuded from the soil and has the ap
pearance of lime sprinkled over the
surface. This appearance is most
noticeable where the soil is damp
Some Of these places are of marshy
character, and some of them, though
this is rare, are veritable quagmires,
as delusive and dangerous as the
quicksands of the Platte. They can
be described only as a net work 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 suspect their existence
until, breaking through, he sinks
rapidly into mushy, clinging, mex
tricable mire
1Herding cattle in Wyoming, my
closest campanion for months had
been a young man twenty four years
of age, a handsome fellow with classic
features, we'll nodded figure, a good
rider and crack shot. The rougher
boys often twltted him about his fair,
shapely hands and his care of them,
for when on duty he always wore
heavy bucgskin gloves. He was re-
ticent and said little about his past
life. but expressions he dropped and
his knowledge of college sports con
WINGED me he was a college man.
Many n ghts, far from human habita-
ton, in the open air we slept between
the same blankets or watched the
herd while communing with our
thoughts and talking to the stars,
which seemed so much nearer and
brighter than in the far away eastern
home.
ut came about that one day after
round thirty head of cattle were
missing from the herd. There was
a suspicion that they had been stolen
10y rustlers, but they might have wan
dered beyond the usual limits of the
range; SO the next morning my com
panion and [ were instructed by the
superintendent to go 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 decided to return. In a short
time we saw in front of us an alkali
spot of unusual size. As we started
to cross 1T my companion was several
hundred yards to my right and short
distance ahead of me. In a few mo-
ments l heard an exclamation from
him, and looking up saw his horse
sinking into quagmire. Riding
rapidly forward l felt the surface
waver beneath me, and knew that the
next moment I might myself be en-
quilted. There was but one thing to
do. | asked him if his feet were free
from the stirrups, and he called back
that they were. [ told him to clasp
his hands above his head, and he did SO;
l mentally measured the distance with
a sinking sense of horror and doubt
1t was supreme moment. My lariat
described 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. l literally 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.
ut was useless to think of extricat
ing the horse, which had sunk into
the mire until nothing but his head
and neck were above the surface, and
as we started off he turned his head
toward us with eyes SO sad and a
whinny SO mournful it was almost hu-
man. 1 could not stand it, and. draw
ing my Colts, aimed and fired. His
head dropped forward. Poor Pete
was saved from horrible, lingering
death, and the most popular broncho
in the camp was no more.
"Now came discovery. The alkali
spot was of oblong shape, and, as we
rode round it to avoid another at
tempt at crossing, within a space of
about five acres, well toward the CEN
ter, we counted twenty pairs of horns,
just above the surface, as if they were
growing out of the ground. We were
satisfied that we had fathomed the
mystery of the lost cattle. They had at
tempted 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 as possible, and death overtaking
them when the mire reached their
mouths and nostrils, they remained Id
that position, with only their horns
above the surface The others Of the
cattle had no doubt shared |
he same fate. but, striking softer and
deeper mire, had disappeared entirely |
below the surface"