Volume 1

158 EXPRESS SENT—THE PLAINS ON FIRE.
widely in the choice of their winter habitations is obvaous.
The low points along the river, where the woods principally
grow, are every spring subject to overflow when the ice
breaks up. The mud carried down with the current, and
left on the banks, makes their dens uncomfortable. On
the Hair hills and other high lands, where the ground is
free from inundation, the soft and sandy soil is not so cold
as the stiff, black mud on the banks of the river, which
appears to be made ground. Frequently, on digging holes
in winter, we found the frost had penetrated the ground
nearly four feet, like one solid body of ice, while in a high,
dry, sandy soil, it seldom exceeds one foot in depth.
Monday, Dec. ist. Having finished my dispatches, Desmarais
took his leave, with tears in his eyes — poor old man,
I felt for him. I sent with him my own two men, besides
the two from Portage la Prairie; wrote 12 letters—one of
20 pages to Charles Clark. This afternoon I saw an
extraordinary race—a badger in pursuit of a skunk. I
wished to see what would be the
consequences, but one of
my men killed both with a club before I thought of preventing
him. This chase convinced me of the possibility
of my man having taken the three animals in the same trap.
At sunset I saw a thick smoke rising at the foot of the mountain
toward the Indians' camp, and soon after perceived the
plains on fire. The weather was cloudy at dusk, and the
wind blew strong from the N., causing the flame to make
rapid progress ; at ten o'clock it had extended as far as
Salt river, presenting a dismal and lurid appearance. We
could plainly distinguish the flames, which at intervals rose
to an extraordinary height, as they passed through low
spots of long grass or reeds. They then would cease their
ravages for a few moments, soon afterward
rise again with
redoubled fury, and then die away to their usual height.
The sight was awful, indeed, but as the wind was from us,
and the fire was on the S. side of Park river, we had nothing
to dread. If this fire spreads all over the country, we
shall be hard up for provisions, as there will be no buffalo ;