A NORTHER. 183 



In the course of the evening, when we were sitting in the 

 verandah in our shirt sleeves, we had an opportunity of seeing 

 a storm peculiar to Texas, called a " Norther." It was very 

 warm, more like summer than November, and we were enjoying 

 it, when Estes, happening to look towards the north, told 

 us to get our coats as we should need them very soon ; and 

 looking in the same direction we saw a long black line, which 

 as we watched it seemed to be coming nearer ; then we heard 

 a whispering among the leaves, which increased in loudness till 

 it became a roar, and the norther was on us. In this case it 

 consisted of only a very cold and strong wind, against which it 

 would have been very difficult to ride or walk if on the open 

 prairie ; but sometimes it is accompanied by a snow-storm of 

 terrible violence, and then if caught in the open it often means 

 death unless shelter can speedily be found. This storm lasted 

 about three hours, but they sometimes continue to blow for 

 three days. 



A half-breed, whom I met in Dacotah, and who seemed to 

 have wonderful powers of standing cold, told me that once when 

 carrying despatches between Fort Wadsworth and Fort Aber- 

 crombie, in company with another half-breed, they had been 

 overtaken by a blizzard, which much resembles a Texan 

 norther, excepting that it may come from any quarter, and 

 that as they happened to be near some timber they had ridden 

 hard and had time to off saddle and get under their blankets 

 before the worst of the storm reached them. Under these they 

 remained for three days, the storm being accompanied by 

 snow, which buried them and helped to keep them warm. At 

 the end of that time my informant had come out from under 

 the snow and had found his companion dead and frozen stiff; 



