Chapter 6
We knew prairie fires were common, but the occupants of the fort all came from different parts of the country and for the most part knew nothing of them. One of them who knew said, “You wouldn’t be able to outrun one of those devils. With the wind a-pushin’ it, it can run faster than a horse.” After the booming cannon alerted them, the outlying crews made it safely to the fort. Horses and draft animals were tied in their stalls to prevent them from bolting in panic, but the cattle circled and bawled in the middle of the parade ground. If they decided to run, little could stop them from jumping the moat and stampeding into open country.
The hungry fire crept nearer, and the men waited, awed by the sight of its nourishing itself on anything that would burn. The whole width of the horizon was giving itself to the flames. The wind ripped words from the mouths of the men, but no talk was necessary to express their awe at the sight of the fire and the birds and animals fleeing in the face of this hell. All kinds of wildlife, coyotes, turkeys, prairie chickens, deer, even a bear, emerged from the fire, some with their fur aflame, only to die and start new fires where they fell.
The wind kept shifting, first a bit to the left, then to the right, seeming to aim straight at them one minute, then veering off to miss them the next. Twisting flames eddied and spiraled above the advancing fire, then spilled forward to kindle little fires which in turn became engulfed as the wall overtook them.
Even though the flames had raced past the fort, there was little cause for rejoicing, because we could see it had burnt all the stacked hay and wood. Everyone was exhausted from fighting the blaze and breathing in all the smoke, and it seemed all they could do was cough and rub their eyes. The water barrels stood empty from men soaking their blankets in them to flail at the flames. No one could wash their eyes and quench their thirst until a fresh supply had been brought up. The heat generated by the mass of flames was almost unbearable. And, the wind kept blowing.
The Metis camp below the hill suffered a great deal, as I quickly found out. Through the dirt and soot that clouded the air, a procession of them came struggling to the fort, obviously in great need of help. The hospital for the sick and injured personnel at the fort had not yet been completed, so Dr. Knickerbocker had ordered hospital tents be erected. They soon filled with Metis burn victims. The wind kept blowing, even stronger it seemed, and flattened those tents as if a giant hand slapped a mosquito.
The doctor had not yet had time to begin seeing the victims who now found themselves floundering around in misery beneath the canvas and tent poles that fell across their burnt flesh. Muffled sounds of agony came from beneath that shroud, and soldiers tried rescuing them while struggling with the whipping, rippling canvas.
I kept wondering about my two little friends - Lucie and Cecile. Before the smoke got thick enough to block visibility, I saw them riding in their pony cart and exploring the prairie a short distance away from their camp. None of us had much warning about the fire, and then when it came roaring over the top of the hill, nobody had time to make any preparations. With so much trouble here at the fort, I didn’t learn their fate until later.
The girls weren’t with the group who came to the fort seeking help, so I kept hoping everything was all right, that maybe they were busying themselves and helping around their camp. Unfortunately, I learned what happened from one of their elders and can only tell it as I remember it from him. Because of the angle of their downhill flight, the fire had not overtaken them when they began whipping their pony to run to the safety of the spring. It was a cruel time, though, and what looked like a safe escape turned to failure when one of their wheels struck a rock, broke, and overturned the cart.
The girls flew from their seats, and one of them struck her head to knock her unconscious. The other’s leg twisted painfully, and she could not stand. She screamed for her friend, “Wake up, we’ve got to run or we’ll burn!” The flames licked at the unconscious girl and set her clothing ablaze and reached for the other girl who crawled towards the spring. The old man sobbed as he said both of them died, as did eighteen others all told.
***
Nancy McClure must rest for a few weeks now since her representative will travel to Texas. Instead “Notes from the Road” will appear.
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