SOLON ROBINSON, 1839 119 



a very erroneous impression in regard to a prairie coun- 

 try. Such tales as this are vastly amusing to us who 

 dwell upon the great western prairies ; but to those who 

 know naught of them, it is a wonder how we escape from 

 such "a vast sea of fire," as they suppose annually "rolls 

 in terrific grandeur," over the whole face of the country. 

 Let me assure you that all these wonderful fire stories 

 are more smoke than fire. 



The idea of burning men, oxen, wagons, horses, and 

 every thing that happens to be in the way, belongs to 

 the great humbug family. 



The soil of prairies is as diversified in character as 

 that of a timbered country, varying from dry and hilly, 

 to deep and miry swamp. The great body is dry, tillable 

 land, and in a state of nature, is covered with a thick 

 short grass, that would, if closely mowed, afford about 

 three-fourths of a ton to the acre. When dry and dead 

 in the fall of the year, it is very easy to burn, and will 

 make just such a "sea of fire" as would a late mown piece 

 of timothy meadow. Unless the wind is blowing with 

 great fury, it is easy to extinguish, by beating it with a 

 bush, board, shovel, or even an old hat; and a man can 

 pass across the line of fire with all ease, or ride through 

 it, or run away from it. I have often done each, and I 

 have seen hundreds of miles of rail fence built upon the 

 prairie, through which the fire passed annually, without 

 setting it on fire, except in rare instances. 



'Tis only in the great marshes, where horses or wagons 

 can not travel, and consequently can not be consumed, 

 that the numerous poetical descriptions of "a burning 

 prairie" have any application. Upon some of these grow 

 a very rank growth of vegetation, six or eight feet high 

 in places, but generally about equal to a very good piece 

 of mowing meadow, which makes a great fire, and would 

 endanger the life of man or beast to come in contact 

 with it. The space between the wet and dry land affords 

 the best grass for hay. In this county in particular, the 

 quality is excellent, and if well put up, cattle and sheep 



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