

QUICKSANDS. 5 1 



In wild countries, deep and dangerous sloughs are very 

 common, and heavy losses among herds of game 

 animals, which follow their leaders like sheep, are in 

 consequence matters of every-day occurrence, as the 

 frequent discoveries of the bones of extinct quadrupeds, 

 sometimes in large numbers found in such situations, 

 even in our own land, conclusively show. We have 

 seen a place, for instance, in an Irish lake, where a 

 whole herd of what we believe to be the now extinct 

 red deer of Ireland, had evidently thus perished in 

 ancient times, leaving their heads and horns, etc., ah 1 

 within a small area, as a memento of the fatality. 



The margins and beds of some of the prairie streams 

 also occasionally consist of regular quicksands, though 

 these are fortunately of comparatively rare occurrence. 

 When they do occur however, quicksands usually 

 consist of the finest impalpable sand, almost like mud, 

 and yet still distinctly sand : but of so fine a nature, 

 that it runs together under the action of water, almost 

 like quicksilver. 



It is probable that man, with his light weight and 

 comparatively large feet, except through extreme want 

 of care and caution, but rarely falls a victim to these 

 treacherous sands; though as we have shown, large 

 numbers of the heavier quadrupeds frequently do meet 

 their end by being caught in them. Indeed there are 

 probably few experienced plainsmen who have not at 

 one time or another had serious trouble, and perhaps 

 loss, by some of their stock getting foundered in such 

 places. 



A human being, horse, or ox, once embedded in a 

 quicksand, is almost certainly doomed to a terrible 

 death, unless speedy relief is at hand; for in a really 



