mounted, and having with us our
rifles and lances, were making the best of our way across one of the
low prairie bottoms, where the thick coarse grass and shrubs, even as
we sat on our horses, were often as high as our heads; when we
noticed, every now and then, a flight of prairie hens, or grouse,
rapidly winging their way by us. Two of our party were of the
Blackfoot tribe; their names were Ponokah (elk) and Moeese (wigwam.)
These Indians had struck into a buffalo trail, and we had proceeded
for a couple of hours as fast as the matted grass and wild pea-vines
would allow, when suddenly the wind that was blowing furiously from
the east became northerly, and in a moment, Moeese, snuffing the air,
uttered the words, "Pah kapa," (bad;) and Ponokah, glancing his eyes
northward, added, "Eehcooa pah kaps," (very bad.)

_Austin._ I guess what was the matter.

_Brian._ And so do I.

_Hunter._ In another instant a rush was heard, and Ponokah, who was a
little ahead, cried out, "Eneuh!" (buffalo!) when three bisons came
dashing furiously along another trail towards us. No sooner did they
set eyes on us, than they abruptly turned southward. By this time, we
all understood that, to the north, the prairie was on fire; for the
air smelt strong. Deer, and bisons, and other animals, sprang forward
in different directions from the prairie, and a smoke, not very
distant, like a cloud, was visible.

_Austin._ I hope you set off at full gallop.

_Hunter._ We were quite disposed to urge our horses onward; but the
trail took a turn towards the burning prairie, and we were obliged to
force our way into another, in doing which my horse got his feet
entangled, and he fell, pitching me over his head some yards before
him. I was not hurt by the fall, for the thick herbage protected me;
but the worst of it was, that my rifle, which had been carelessly
slung, fell from my shoulder among the long grass, and being somewhat
confused by my fall, I could not find it.

_Brian._ You ought not to have stopped a moment.

_Hunter._ Perhaps not; but, to a hunter, a rifle is no trifling loss,
and I could not make up my mind to lose mine. Time was precious, for
the smoke rapidly increased; and both Ponokah and Moeese, who knew
more about burning prairies than I did, and were therefore more alive
to our danger, became very impatient. By the time my rifle was found,
and we were ready to proceed, the fire had gained upon us in a
crescent form, so that be