The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-01-30

several TINS, out dld not manifest any lndl-
cations of alarm, or l should, as had sew
eral times before, have left the camp after
dark. However, l had quiet night
rest, and was on the path next morning
sooner than could distinguish objects any
great distance. The first thing attracting
my attention about sun up was a little
compact crowd of antelope not very far off.
| fell off my horse and kicked up my heels
in the most approved hunting style for a
minute or two, and finding they were not
coming to me concluded to peep and see
what they were at. They were not there
Ned looked like he was laughing!
My course now was nearly east The
country was still broken and rocky, and
the casts and fossiiferous remains of ma
rine animals were remarkably profuse.
Game was very abundant; deer, turkeys,
antelope, wolves, and ravens. ! shot a
little deer in the afternoon, and, having
tied my horse hundred yards back in the
edge of the timber, went after him. When
| came to the deer again two ravens had
possession of it, and they disputed my
right to it with many loud threats and dips
near my head while performing their gyra-
tions above the place. | took my share.
and had not gone forty yards before they
were tearing the little deer to pieces again.
| would have shot one of them, but had
already fired one gun in that direction, aud
didn't like those ravens anyhow. They
are always hanging abut hunting parties,
and | felt a little shy. found good,
thick, wooded shelter for my cooking oper-
ations, and, after dark, left it and travelled
three or four miles into the prairie, where
found lone live oak, and made my pallet
there; Ned found rich pasturage besides.
was pretty we'll assured, from Ned's listen
ing, seeming, and steady and long thought
ful gazing into the far-off prairie, for the
last two or three days, that he believed We
were passing through region that was in
tested by some grade of humanity. He
indicated his suspicious so intelligently
that he caused me to ply my telescope
eyes quite frequently.
Ned didn't come up, and the grass was
so wet, l kept my pallet till the vast req
source of light heaved up his broad, glow
ing face from the drenching grass. 1t was
unusually beautiful this time.
l made my breakfast from some Of the
last nights cooking. Ned came to camp,
and we were soon contending with distance
on the vast prairie. About ten o'clock AN.
we came oblquely into large, we'll beaten
trail, and the ground was much trod up for
thirty yards on each side of the main trail,
showing that the movement had been a
hurried one. The signs looked to be two
or three days old. and, from its direction,
would pass nearly over the country l had
been moving in. And this accounts foI
Ned's cautions seeming and sighting over
the last two days. He examined and
>melt of the trace very carefully; but he
did not look round nor show any signs that
he had made any discoveries. The large
recent trail, and all the signs showing sat
Isfactorily that the travel had been rapid,
indicated that it had been made by re-
treating party; and that, except it be a
Struggling wounded man, there was no
danger of meeting any Indians in the vicin
lty of that trail. Yet there was SO much
If it, couldn't persuade myself to view it
with the slightest degree of favor; but, in
stead, became wild as the antelope" go
whether there is danger or not" So l
crossed it at nearly right angles, and trav
eled rapidly north until dark. Had a good
chance for an antelope, and twice for a
deer; l felt too wild, and | had little
scrap of meat. Night came after a thirty
miles ride; | felt more confidence. The
country had penetrated now was exceed
| lnsly rough; pretty smart mountains, com
posed principally of piled up rocks; l found
some water and camped. Ned was tired,
and the grass not very good; he stood
around my pallet the greater part of the
night. Before light next morning climbed
up to the ridge, at the base of which lay
my camp, and stalked along on top of it
| until came to tue head of a ravine that
| made up and had lndented itself in little
| Hat on top of the mountain. Here seated
was not long, but before it came l had
heard some slight rustling in the bushes,
| and once or twice a soft, faint snort, that
put me in mind of a young goat. Light
was flowing in now, and it was but a short
time until, at the farther edge of the little
fiat, about thirty yards off, l could see
something in motion. Slyly | crouched
| behind the rock | had been seated on. /
was unaccusto,ned to the noises had heard,
could form no idea of what it might be.
| My suspense did not last long, for soon
could see there was gang of something.
1t turned out to be a considerable herd ot
antelope, few of which had reached the
| little flat, the rest of the flock grazing wide
spread on the side of the mountain, ana
seemed to be ascending.
| could see now two nice little fellows
parryiug with their horns-half play and
half earnest-and they were working round
on the farther border of the little level to
near the brink of the becivity. There was
! light enough, but they were constantly in
motion and | had to speak to them
Hold STILL" They both stood, selected
one and aimed to break his neck; but at
the moment | touched the trigger the other
one punched up his hind parts so suddenly
that the bullet passed through his TANKS.
BY this time, forty of fifty Of the main
| flock had flowed over and filled up the lit
tie valley entirely. At the time the gun
fired some of them were within ten feet OF
where | sat behind the rock. Of course
they were frightened into the widest disor-
der, and fled in all directions; three OIL
four fell flat on the ground, squatted; but
INV attention was called to the one l had
shot, all the rest turned back the way they
came, but the wounded one; lie leaped
with fiutter madly over the brim of the
hillside, seeming to be badly hurt.
watched him closely as he fell and recev-
cred on his way down the steep descent
but what was my establishment when, not
exceeding s,ve4ty- five yards distant, very