OCR Text |
Show 58 TEAVELS AND ADVENTUEES IN THE FAR WEST. Mr. Egloffstein declined to come down ; I told him of the dangers to which he was exposed, and entreated him to return to camp. Finding him determined to remain, I sent him up his supper, and returned to camp, expecting him to return at sundown. About this time the prairie was on fire just beyond the belt of woods through which Col. Fremont had to pass. Becoming alarmed for Mr. Egloffstein, several of us went to bring him in. We found him half-way to camp, dragging by the lariat the dead body of an immense wolf which he had shot. We assisted him on with his booty as well as we could. My " guard " came on at two o'clock. I laid down to take a three hours' rest. When I went on " duty," the scene that presented itself was sublime. A breeze had sprung up, which dissipated the smoke to windward. The full moon was shining brightly, and the piles of clouds which surrounded her, presented magnificent studies of " light and shadow," which " Claude Lorraine " so loved to paint. The fire had reached the belt of woods, and seemingly had burnt over the tree our friend had been seated in all day. The fire on the north side had burned up to the water's edge, and had there stopped. The whole horizon now seemed bounded by fire. Our Delawares by this time had picketed all the animals near the creek we were encamped on, and had safely carried the baggage of the camp down the banks near the water. When day dawned, the magnificent woods which had sheltered our animals, appeared a forest of black scathed trunks. The fire gradually increased, yet we dared not change |