The herald., 1897-01-03
I PURSUED BY A SEA OF FLAME ;
@
&&kAA4&AA@AAA4AAAAAA&&4&<

In the autumn of 1885, while scouting
along the international boundary line
in northern Minnesota we went into
camp on the high bluffs overlooking
Milk river, at a point near where that
stream comes down into the states from
dominion territory.
A band of nomadic half breeds had Sc
lected the site for a camping spot be-
fore our arrival and their wooden carts
and picturesque wickiups were strewn
about promiScuously. Our own tents
were soon lined up in order. and then the
first duty became smudge building. for
the mosquitoes We're lowering about in
clouds and the tormenting little buffalo
gnats annoyed us even worse than the
mosquitoes
Everybody knows what a smudge is.
They are piles of green boughs or roots
that will not burn but send off volumes
of smoke, which is an excellent antidote
for mosquitoes. The half breeds didn't
seem to mind the insects at all, as men,
women and children worked or .dled as
they chose, and appeared to suffer no
discomfort from the pests whatever The
prairie about us was covered with a
heavy growt1 q short. curly. buffalo
grass, while in the Milk river meadows
below, extending up and down the
stream as far as the eye could see, We're
tall plumes of grass from six to seven
feet high that waved and undulated ir
the wind like the pillows of summer s
sea In riding through these bottom
lands that day and before mounting to
the bluffs, we were obliged to stand in
our stirrups in order to look over its
waving tops. The meadows rangeGffom
four to five miles in breadth, and there
was scarcely a tree in all that sea OF
grass except the few stunted cotton
woods that fringed the river close to its
banks. Near our camp and back IRON
the bluffs was one of those bare, painted
| buttes that sometimes rise abruptly
from the prairie, and on its further side
wound a small stream that furnished us
water. For fuel we used buffalo chips,
which were to be had in abundance.
A SIGNIFICANT WARNING.
| Toward afternoon the air grew sultry,
| and a dim, smoky haze overspread the
heavens, while the light wind from the
| south bore to our nostrils the odor Oh
something burning. I walked over to
| the half breed camp and asked one OF
the men if he knew what 1t was. He read
| the sign rightly, and said there must pe
! a prairie fire off in that direction.
AS evening approached the wind grew
stronger and the smoke that was borne
| before it became SO thick and heavy
that we found it difficult to breathe
with any comfort. About a mile out
on the open prairie small herd OF
| stampeded buffalo were racing away tc
the north, and pretty soon we saw the
! half breeds break camp and begin tc
move traps and trappings to the sum
nit of the bluff.
| This was warning enough for US, sc
the order was given to strike tents, ano
before long ourselves. horses and bag
/ gage were comfortably located in q
large depression on the north side of the
butte and close to the top. This freak
of nature was perhaps 200 feat high ant
as bare as a billiard ball. No verdurt
of any kind grew upon its sides nor fol
a considerable distance around it's base
Its accommodations for shelter were
| ample. sufficient for a regiment if neces
sary. and we found for ourselves sor
Of cave or hole in the side, into which W.
could retire in case things outside be
came too hot for ug. Fortunately M
such emergency arose, and We were abl'
from our secure perch to witness one o
the most sublime scenes that ever swep
over that portion of the North American
continent. Before night fell the wine
had increased almost to a gale and dsnsl