Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-19
THE CYCLONES TRACK.
Where Had Been Life and Hope Was
Only Sad Dcsolation.

Sso OSaolAtl0n.
From the Detroit Free Press.
About noon party of emigrants
reached the Red river. half a mile below
us. We counted twenty-six white-topped
wagons. Texas-bound. and there must
have been on to a hundred men, women
and children. The Red was over its banks
and a mile wide at that point and the
party encamped on the bluffs to wait for
a fall. The horses were turned out fires
lighted and the voices of the children and
the songs of the women fioated up to us
as the MONDAY meal was prepared.
1t was a summers day and almost cloud
less. The grass on the bluff was green and
thick. and forty feet below ran the flood.
There was nothing to fear-nothing to
cause the slightest anxiety. The flood
would subside IN a day OF two and make
the crossing safe. In the meantime they
laughed and were happy.
Look therer
On a dead tree to our right. sitting side
by side with folded wings and necks OFT
stretched, are four great vultures-scav-
engers OF plain and prairie Never an hour
between sunrise and sunset when you can
not see them circling in the air-never a
days travel when you will no; hear their
croaki croaki croakt as they call eaen
other to a feast
They utter no sound. There Is no move
ment except of their necks as they look
down into the emigrant camp. II gives one
a creepy feeling to watch them. The az
has brought them no taiat. There are nc
WORKOUT horses waiting 10 die ~ there
was a human being pick unto .iea,h SeTn
ed. Have the horrible birds Toasted ard
alighted up there to- rest ami sleep No
They are lean and hungry looking AMI the
vulture never tires. Our camp as much the
nearest, but their attention is wholly &C.
cupied with the other. They have every
living thing under their eyes. il Is IKE ths
condemned TO death.
'See-whats THAR
The emigrants have approached the river
by a long and narrow valley. We saw then
wagons while they were yet miles away
Afar on on their trail. where sky and plain
seem TO meet. is black spot looking for 9
a babe At first a hand would cover IL, but
as We look il grows larger and larger and
darker and darker. 1t is a cloud which
seems to have risen from the earth as II
following an explosion. IL spread out to
take in the width of the vaiiey-it mounts
up until il stands like great wall against
tremble About us everything is as quiet
as the grave. Down in the camp of the EN-.
igrants group of children are singing
Hark!
There's a land that is fairer than day
And by faith We can see IT afar;
Our Father waits over the way"
Bye" and men and women join with the
children. i turn my eyes from the clouds e
the vultures. They still occupy the limb
their horrible necks are still outstretched
Back to the cloud. which has now assumed
a strange. menacing appearance.
1t seems to be whirling round and rounC
for a few seconds. Then, with a rush OF
cannon ball and the resistless force OF
tidal wave. II comes sweeping up the val
| ley and strikes the camp. We hear a moar
wild. weird. awful-a roar-a crash. Fo
| q minute IL is as dark as midnight dowi
| there. There is a breath Of wind like ice
| We hear a crashing and grinding on tn
! other side Of the river.
The darkness slowly drifts away. wher
| Is the campfire Observation-Disclosures
women and little singing children? Tn
biuff Is bare There Is not living thing Il
| sight--not the slightest trace Of what wa
there five minutes ago. l glance up at tn
tree. The vultures are just taking wing {
| follow the current of the stream. The
| have not waited in vain. We rush dow
| to the sight Of the camp and ask eacl
other IL Ii was all dream With a powe
which would have shaken the foundation
| of a mountain-with a clutch which woul
have lifted the grandest oak clear OF tn
| soil--with a rush which would have crunl
bled stone walls the cyclone had swep
everything over the bluffs into the food
| Not a soul escaped. Not an animal wa
| left behind. Not the fragment Of a broke
| vehicle. not the strap OF q harness, nc
even a firebrand from the camp fire
| could be found. 1t was as IL man ha
never rested on the spot.