At that moment, the sonorous voice of Gabriel was heard, firm and imperative.  He had long been accustomed to danger, and now he faced it with his indomitable energy, as if such scenes were his proper element:—­“Down from your horses,” cried he; “let two of you keep them steady.  Strip off your shirts, linen, anything that will catch fire; quick, not a minute is to be lost.”  Saying this, he ignited some tinder with the pan of his pistol, and was soon busy in making a fire with all the clothes we now threw to him.  Then we tore up withered grass and Buffalo-dung, and dashed them on the heap.

Before three minutes had passed, our fire burned fiercely.  On came the terrified mass of animals, and perceiving the flame of our fire before them, they roared with rage and terror, yet they turned not, as we had hoped.  On they came, and already we could distinguish their horns, their feet, and the white foam; our fuel was burning out, the flames were lowering; the parson gave a scream, and fainted.  On came the maddened myriads, nearer and nearer; I could see their wild eyes glaring; they wheeled not, opened not a passage, but came on like messengers of death—­nearer—­nearer—­nearer still.  My brain reeled, my eyes grew dim; it was horrible, most horrible!  I dashed down with my face covered, to meet my fate.

At that moment I heard an explosion, then a roar, as if proceeding from ten millions of buffalo-bulls—­so stunning, so stupifying was the sound from the mass of animals, not twenty yards from us.  Each moment I expected the hoofs which were to trample us to atoms; and yet, death came not.  I only heard the rushing as of a mighty wind and the trembling of the earth.  I raised my head and looked.

Gabriel at the critical moment had poured some whisky upon the flames, the leathern bottle had exploded, with a blaze like lightning, and, at the expense of thousands crushed to death, the animals had swerved from contact with the fierce, blue column of fire which had been created.  Before and behind, all around us, we could see nothing but the shaggy wool of the huge monsters; not a crevice was to be seen in the flying masses, but the narrow line which had been opened to avoid our fire.

In this dangerous position we remained for one hour, our lives depending upon the animals not closing the line:  but Providence watched over us, and after what appeared an eternity of intense suspense, the columns became thinner and thinner, till we found ourselves only encircled with the weaker and more exhausted animals which brought up the rear.  Our first danger was over, but we had still to escape from one as imminent—­the pursuing flame, now so much closer to us.  The whole prairie behind us was on fire, and the roaring element was gaining on us with a frightful speed.  Once more we sprang upon our saddles, and the horses, with recovered wind and with strength tenfold increased by their fear, soon brought us to the rear of the buffaloes.