Volume XVI. 



RECREATION 



MARCH, 1902. 

 G. 0. SHIELDS (COQUINA), Editor and Manager 



FIGHTING A PRAIRIE FIRE. 



Number 3„ 



RAMSAY MACNAUGHTON. 



Three nights of anxiety had told 

 on the boys of the camp, and they slept 

 fitfully, as hunting dogs sleep, with one 

 eye open and mind alert. Indians of 

 the turbulent Turtle mountain tribe 

 had been for some time in ominous 

 evidence. Ultimately they went on 

 the warpath, and indulged in a little 

 old time massacre of some of our 

 scattered neighbors until relieved of 

 their bloodthirst by the lead cure, ad- 

 ministered by Canadian regulars. But 

 it was not fear of Indians that ailed 

 our camp. We were cow herders, 

 good rifles were numerous and there 

 were skilled hands to use them. 



It was matches that were in earnest 

 demand and more conscientiously car- 

 ried than firearms. It had been a 

 wonderful summer for grass. For 50 

 miles in all directions the herbage 

 stood high," thick and dry, its vast ex- 

 panse broken only by trails and more 

 rarely by fire guards. The camp of 8 

 half underground shacks, with 5,000 

 cattle, extensive corrals and sheds, 

 sundry horses and much else, was 

 within one of those guards. Fires 

 had been seen in the distance for a 

 week, great mountains of smoke 

 by day and a lurid horizon of flame by 

 night. Responsive to every fickle 

 flight of changing wind, danger some- 

 times approached us, sometimes fled 

 away. Of 16 miles of fire guard, 

 double plowed, with 100 feet of space 

 between, 1-16 mile had been missed, 

 and now, with the ground frozen like 

 flint, nothing could be done to amend 

 the oversight. 



167 



The grass, unlike that of the States, 

 had not died and rotted, but stood per- 

 fectly cured and tinder-like ; and not a 

 flake of snow had fallen. For 3 days 

 and nights a great head fire had 

 threatened the little break in our 

 guard; sleep was impossible and ner- 

 vous prostration imminent. Fire once 

 through the break, doomed the camp 

 and imperiled life. There was no 

 other natural or artificial guard within 

 40 miles. Attempts to locate the 

 worst of the fires, raging on every 

 side, were futile. Appearing near, they 

 yet proved distant, the tract still un- 

 burnt being so vast. 



The impromptu fire department had 

 become well organized and trained, 

 and was equipped with apparatus at 

 once unique, laughable and effective. 

 Everything with wheels was pressed 

 into service and loaded with enough 

 water barrels and fire mops to outfit a 

 battalion. The mops were 10 feet 

 long and shod with old shirts, trousers 

 and other clothing. With them fire 

 could be beaten out and kept from 

 stacks and buildings. Near by were a 

 number of green cow and horse hides, 

 soaked for days in creek or puddle, 

 with 2 long ropes on each bv which 

 they could be trailed from saddle; a 

 contrivance as effective in its place as 

 any city water tower or steamer. 



On the last night only 2 men out of 

 20 were left in camp. Gangs armed 

 with mops had gone to do what they 

 could. Riders in pairs, with a soaked 

 hide between them, had gone to find 

 and run down side fires. On finding 



