Page:The Prairie Flower; Or, Adventures In the Far West.djvu/61

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amusing and interesting sights of all we saw on the route, were the towns of the prairie-dog, which are to be found at dif ferent intervals along the whole course of the sandy Platte, and through several of which we passed. The first one we came to, so astonished and interested us, that Iluntly, Teddy and myself dismounted to take a closer view, while the trappers, being of course familiar with such things, steadi ly pursued their way.

The prairie-dog is above the size of a large gray "nuirrel, somewhat longer than a Guinea-pig, of a brownish or sandy hue, with a head- somewhat resembling a bull dog. Being of a social disposition, they collect too-eiher in lary-e bodies, and build

their towns on a gravelly plain, some of them being miles in extent, and with a population equalling the largest cities of df America, or even Europe. Their earth en houses, which are from two to three feet in hight, are made in the form of a cone. They are entered by a hole in the top or apex, which descends vertically some three feet or more, and then takes an oblique course and connects with others in ev;ry direction. Their streets are laid out with something approaching regularity, and they evidently have a sort of police, and laws to govern them, not unlike those of superior and more enlightened beings. In some of the towns, a house larger than ordinary occupies a central position, which is tenanted by a sleek, fat dog, supposed to be the presiding functionary of the place, whose sole employment appears to be in sunning himself outside his domicil, and noting with patriarchal gravity the doings of his inferiors.

The town which myself and companions halted to examine, was one of the larger class, and covered an area, to the best of my judgment, of at least live hundred acres. On our approach, a certain portion of the little fellows ran to' the mouth of their holes, and squatting down commenc ed a shrill barking, not unlike that made by a toy-dog whereupon the pups and smaller sized animals betook themselves with the utmost despatch to their burrows. A nearer approach drove the more daring under cover, whence they took the liberty of peeping out to examine us, and occa sionally of uttering a shrill bark, as a gen

tle hint that our company was anything but agreeable.

The food of these interesting little fel lows consists, for the most part, of prairia grass and roots. They live a life of con stant alarm being watched and pounced upon continually by the wolf, the hawk, the eagle, &c. They are very hospitable to such animals as choose to come and live peaceably among them and the screech owl and rattlesnake are their constant guests; and it is not unusual, I was told, to find all three burrowed together in one hole. They are sometimes eaten by the Indian and mountaineer.

Spending an hour or more in examining the town, we remounted our horses and soon overtook the trappers, Teddy observ ing as we quitted the village :

"Faith, your honors, but thim is' queer bir-r-ds now, isn't they? Och! be me mother's hair! it's like they've bin down to St. Louey and got the notion in their heads and think they can baat the city, the spalpeens! I'd like 'em to go and sae Dublin, now maybe that 'ud aston ish 'em a wee bit, and give 'em some new idees respicting public idifices, jist. Ochone! Ireland's the place to laach 'em the baastly serpints of bir-r-ds that they is."

The first natural object of curiosity L be held after crossing the South Fork of the Platte, was the Solitary Tower, opposite which we encamped on the margin of a small stream called Little Creek. This tower, composed of sand and clay, resem bles a stone edifice, and being some seven or eight hundred feet in hight, can be seen at a distance of fifteen or twenty miles. To the distant beholder it presents the appearance of some mighty structure of feudal days; but a near view dispels th illusion, arid the spectator sees before him only a rough, unseemly, but stupendous pile thus verifying the words of the poet, that

"Distance lends enchantment to the view."

I was informed by Black George, that this tower could be ascended, though at some risk to the adventurer; and that he and another trapper had made the trial some years before, and spent one cold'winter'a night in one of its damp crevices escap ing by this means a party of hos