The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1907-04-11


ing over the prairie on foot or on
the traveller happens to
see such a lonely erratic, 1t is worth
his while to go to 1t and examine 1t
closely. He will find 1t polished on
all sides by the friction of the tough
hides of buffalo, and IL he passes his
hands over its round smoothed sur
faces he can still feel there the grease
which has accumulated from the use
to which the stone was put. All
around 1t, and close to 1t, he will find
worn deep trench In which are
boulders, stones and gravel, but
where there is no vegetation, for
there is no soil to nourish It. This
trench has been made by the buffalo
as they walked about the stone and
comfortably scratched their sides
against It. Their ponderous hoofs
have cut and torn up the soil and
reduced 1t to fine powder which the
winds have then carried away, leav-
ing only the heavy stones at the bot
tom of the trench.
OF all the memorials which the
buffalo have left on the wide plains
where once they were so abundant,
the rubbing stono is by far the most
permanent. These huge erratics,
brought thither by the ice of glacial
times, and dropped seemingly hap
hazard here and there on the prairie,
will endure for a long time. They
will last until a day shall come, IL 1t
ever does come, when the vandal
white man, having cultivated all the
rest of the earth. will use on them
some high explosive, break them to
atoms and bury the fragments.
Several years ago there was print
ed in the Forest and Stream a men,
tion of one of these rubbing stones,
which I quote here. 1t is as follows:
From q high hill which gives a
wide outlook may be seen, far off,
on the verge of the horizon, where
the sky bends down to meet the
earth, tiny speck. At first 1t seems
haystack, then cabin, then a
wagon, at last a buffalo; but it is
none of these.
"Still riding on over the yellow
rolling plains, where the short stems
of the prairie grass quiver with a
constant motion, where little ground
squirrels flash across the horses path
and hide behind tufts of grass, and
shore, larks with sweet, soft notes
rise and swing away with undulating
fight, where dainty antelope slowly
walk to the top of the hills. on either
nd al NIL
eyes, the object draws nearer. Some
times from the crest of hill 1t seems
close at hand, again, descending into
little valley, 1t is lost to view behind
swell of the prairie. At length 1t is
close by and its nature can be seen.
"In those ancient days when the
vast ice sheet was melting, a great
mass of stone was fioated from the
distant mountains. Carried on some
huge berg, parted from the glacier
which gave 1t birth, this rock jour
neyed from the west, and at length,
falling from its longtime resting
place, sank to the earth, and when
the waters disappeared. remained
there, landmark on the prairie.
Here for ages 1t has stood, stead
fast, immovable. The winds of win
ter buffet it.; the heats of summer
scorch and bake it. Behind 1t the
storm piles up long white drift of
snow; spring floods collect about it
in little lake, soon dried up. Under
It's lee, perhaps, the chilled Indian,
returning alone from his unsuccessful
war journey, has stopped to seek
shelter from the bitter blasts which
sweep over the prairie, bearing death
| on their icy wings; or in summer the
painting wolf has stretched himself
| for a moment in it's grateful shade.
The birds have visited 1t. Eagles
with watchful eye surveyed the
prairie, alert to see the slightest
movement of grouse or hare or
| ground squirrel. The little birds,
| too, have rested here for moment;
sparrows and the titlark with sedate
walk and gravely turning head. A
mountain rat has made it his home,
and in the crevice of the rock has
built his nest.
| Though it has Travelled far on
Ice the boulder shows little wear. It's
knobs and roughness are still sharp,
but each protuberance and angle is
polished with bright brown gloss,
like the corners of fence posts in a
barn yard, against which cattle have
rubbed their sides.
For ages this great erratic has
been the buffalo's scratching pAst.
Here in passing, the dark herds have
turned aside and halted, and mighty
bull, sleek "oung cow, and playful
yearling have sidled up to this mas
sive rock, and with grunts of content
ment, have pushed their rounded
bodies against 1t, and been jostled
and crowded and struck by the horns
of others, eager to take their turn.
About this stone they have walked to
and fro and cut up the soil with their
hoofs and made 1t fine dust, which
the unceasing wind has carried away
and scattered far over the prairie.
So, after the lapse of centuries of
time and the passing away of many
generations of buffalo, a deep trench
has been worn about the erratic, and
1t stands on a pillar of soil, the top
Of which is level with the prairie.
Never again will the boulder wit
ness the sights th;. it has beheld in
the past. 1t stands in its old place
as firm and staadfast aa of vOra hut