58 PIIAIRIES Ox\ FIRE. 



"I've won !" exclaimed our nero. •« Let's charge, and give 'em the very 



The wordTvent for command, and tlie four hunters dashed boldly towards 

 the terrified savages, wlio in turn fled, with greater velocity than tlioy aao 

 called into exercise at any time during iheir advance,— ulustratuig the 

 truth of the saying, "tyrants are always cowards.' i-egs proved quite 

 convenient articles for the Pawnee braves ! They were out of sight in a 

 few minutes, and were very careful noi to stop until they hau lett cheir 

 pursuers far in the rear. , 



A Pawnse with a defenceless enemy in his power, like soiree exaraplea 

 among the whites, is unrivalled in courage and daring; but where there is 

 resistance offered, and fighting to be doas, he, as well as the Irishman s 

 chickens, " comes up missing .'" He is always braves^t when farthest 



from danger. ■ , , < 



Wc were careful to observe the strictest vigilance at mg.it, to prevent 

 the loss of horses from lurking bands of Indians. The animals of the 

 caravan were uniformly picketed in compact order, and sentinels, posted at 

 suitable distances, continued to pace their rounds, from dark till dayhght; 

 while e;ich of the company slept by his arms, in readiness at any momenl 



to repel an attack. ^ > i . • *.» 



Ha\ang travelled for seven successive days, we made camp late in tire 

 afternoon at the head of the right fork of Blue. 



During the day we had noticed a dense smoke some distance m the 

 rear, but, with the wind in an opposite direction, no uneasiness was lelt on 

 that account The sentries were soon at their posts, and everything was 

 snugly disposed of for the night. Those not on duty improved the oppor- 

 tunity to gain respite from the fatigues of the day, and, in a brief interval, 

 were snoring away at an admirable rate. . , . ■, 



The polar-star by its "pointers" had just told the hour of midmght, 

 when these hurried words rang through the camp : 



"Lave, ho! Lave!* Prairies on fire! Quick— catch up! catch 



up!" 



This startling announcement instantly brought every man to lus feet;— 

 and such a scene as now met the eye ! How awful, and how grand ! 1 he 

 wind, new chanoed and freshened, to the right and rear, was tossing t'le 

 flames towards us, rapidly— fighting the heavens with their lurid glare, 

 and transforming the darkness of night into a more than noonday splen- 



Here was, indeed, an "ocean of flame!" far as tlie eye could reach--- 

 dancing with fiery wavelets in the wind, or roUiiig its bunung surges, m 

 mad fiiry, eager to lick up every vestige of vegetation or semblance of 

 combustible tiiat appeared in its way 1— now shooting its gluwing^missiles 

 far, far ahead, like meteors athwart the sky, or towering aloit irom the 

 weeds and i:ail grass, describing aiusl hiJeous and fantastic lornis, that, 

 moving with the wiuu, more resembled a cotillion of demons among th ^ir 

 native flames than aught terrestial !— then driving whole sheets ot the 

 raging element into the withered herbage in front, like the advance scouts 



♦ " Lave " appears to be a corruption of the Spanish word levar, to get up, (K 

 ■rouse, aa from sleep. It is in common use among mountauieers. 



