The St. Louis Republic., 1902-03-16
PICNlCKERS HEMMED
IN BY RING OF FIRE
Renned Up on Mountain Top in In
\ dian Territory for Nearly
Two Days.
SURROUNDED BY WILD BEASTS,

Animals, Maddened by Thirst,
Fight F'erociously - Feryent
Prayer Followed by Rain
That Put Out Flames.
REPCBLIC SPECIAL
COokson. !. T. March 15.-Hemn.ed in by
an impossible circle OF fire. with all the
kinds OF animals. both wild and tame, 10
be found in the Indian Territory for COM
peny, was the lot OF parry OF picnichers
ON Mount Cookson. d circular mountain,
rising solitary in the valley OF the Illinois
Riy(r. four miles north of this place.
y has long been "a resort for pleasure
Rfekors. its location and comfsura;ion rem
: EerinS it almost an ideal spot. Almost a
yperfect circle. its base is nearly Two miles
in circumference. and its slope. covered by
the thick. prisneyal forest, extends Eradu-
slly upward lor nearly l,4p0 IeeI, wnere II
ends in a perfectly level plateau. entirely
denuded OF timber. OF several acres In ex-
sent-
The crowning glcry of the peak Is
yearly in the center OF the plateau. Long
{ anterior 10 the advent OF the Cherokees'
the present owners of this country, 1t had
been discoyeied and lis virtues appreciated
by the prehistoric people who then lnhao-
3etd this region. Traces OF their handi"o'k
vet are 10 be found in 4 pyramldai Dul!dihS
Of stone. with strange. unccuth carvings oI
nisshapen idols. serpents and other hl4eous
animals. Who they were and when theS
siyed is mystery incapame OF soia4oh'
but tss temple. the work of their hands,
e.ri remains standing almost As perfect
as IN the long ago.
, Three years ago a tornado circ!ed the
slope of tie entire mountain ana ceslto+eu
g wealth of timber which las siiice been
lying neglected. 1t had become dry as tlLoer
and was In t highly iniid.nmable CONDITION.
Owing 10 the lOns-continued drought forest
fires have become OF cCnmUa occurrence
and attract but little attention, Seneraliy
being OF small extent and confined TO par
ricular localities Se-eral small fires had
been discovered Al the base or Mount
CooksoL. but they caused 70 alarm ana
bright and early last sunday morning a
party Of young Ch=Tokecs. consisting OF
hall a dozen couples laden with baskets
(.nG aamp.-s. asccnled 10 the summit CT
BE mountain.
IDEAL DAY for A PICNIC.
Is was IA ideal isy fo- a picnic. Not a
clol:H veiled the brightness OF the sun, the
air VSs freishteu win bdlmy spring doors.
the BINDS were caIoing neiodiousiy in the
forest and all natGr= seemed smiling ana
joyous. The entire party were ia the nigh
est spirits.
As the morning passed away some of the
InoTe obServant Of the party noticed that
Ehc brightness OF the sun "as fast growing
dim and that an od0r of burning wood filed
the air. Clouds Of smoke rolled UP the
mountain slope. Tie alarm grew general
and the party quioilly made preparations
10 abandon the mountain, hut when they
VeaCned the euSe Ct the slope they found
themselves surrounded OF every side by
faIncs. Escape was hopeless, and the parry
REALIZED that their only chance OF safety
lay in remaining the plateau until the
fires had burned oJs. This was d terrifying |
respect. but ii was their only hope. anC.
they quickly took possession Of the old |
-fmple standing Owe the spring.
Soon they saw they had other dangers
to contend against beside fre- The lat
ter, extending cntrdy around the base Of
the mountain. had caught as in a net all
manner of creeping things and beasts. |
Over the mountain .op they came. mus
taEgs. deer. wood ~oives and wildcats.
~ lie close behind came stampede of
cattlet with tails erect, and fiery eyes. |
IMAGINED with terror Senator Cooksons i
focf of Angora goats and drove5 of hogs
WEI. followed by rattlesnakes, copper |
Ah1fds and other reptiles.
IEhe party of picuiCkerS realized their |
dan=er and rapidly proceeded to close all |
aperture capable Of afTo!Gins ingress to a |
sna;-e. Fortunately the door of their |
stronghold was made OF thick puncheon.
There were a few holes in the walls OF the |
temple, placed as to be uaapproachable |
by the reptiles which sufIieed to enable 1
'the party within to view their terrifying |
surroundings.
Night brings New Terrors.
As night drew on the haniss crept closer |
and closer to the summit, and the red |
, glare from the burning forest cast an un-
earthly radiance over the scene. The air
grew thick and sitting with the smoke. |
Fortunately the party had an abundance |
of water, which served In some degree
at least, to mitigate tha:r suffering.
The animals outside mad 40 water and
began to grow irritable ana savage. For
rtinla the strange danger surrounding them
-had seemed to subdue then but as the
,heat grew more intense auL the lack of
wGter more apparent, they began to fight
Pandenonum broke lose PanG5ers
wolves and wild cats seemed at once 10 re-
sgain their ferocious instincts.
II was Dante's Inferno" with territorial
! q INNINGS
The party, shut up in the Old temple and
intensely: the heat blisterec and burned |
their skins. and the hot air scorched and |
frritated their lungs. Constantly they /
poured water over each other and no doubt 4
this saved their lives.
From almost II O'Clock Sunday morning
s<our hours. their in.prisonmtnt continued |
hAnxious friends and relatives aware of |
R1heIr fight could be of no assIstance They
could neither receive help from mortal man
~ help themselves. and in this. their hour
foNtsed, they prayed foI the help SO badly /
1 Johnson Parsons. one Of tn. party. said |
to IN; companions at a time when hope
seeTneN dead:
MY Sierds. my life may no. at all times
Ihave BEEN in accordance with he teachings
@of the Bible. but the impress If its divinity |
f1s deeply eEgraven upon my teart. Let US
trray."
Long. fervently, earnestly and beseech-
ing did the young man lead them in PRAYER |
4 Then came the cooling rain. and it raned
hs If the windows of heaven we're opened.
The fires were extinguishe6. and weary,
white blistered, burned. but still alive the
entire party were srccoIed by their rejoic-
ing friends