Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-05-05
DEER AND ANTELOPE.
REGION WHERE THE MONTANA COW.
BOY LOVES TO ROAM.
An After-Breakfast Ride ON the Buaalo
Range BIack-Tailed Deer CowaraIy
Indian Marauders = Antelope on the
Ran-A Trick That L. Often Played.

L
Indian M.rauders = Antelope on the
| Run-A Trick That Il Often Played.
But we arc nearing tho divide, and rs We
move up these pockets and swales to the ridge
let us keep our eyes about us, for we may
catch a glimpse Of noble game. There is
plenty of it here yet Bears and mountain
lions are not uncommon, and, though the
buffalo and moose are gone, yet the elk re-
main, and-There they goi Lookl lookl See
how prettiiy they bound along, rs though
their hoofs were made Of rubber! They run
80 easily, presume you think they are not
moving fast, but you never made . greater
| mistake. That easy lope is taking them over
the ground at tremendous speed. Don't shoot.
1t is useless, Besides, If you should chance to
kill one, there is nothing to do but let it lie
there, and that is poor sport, to say nothing
Of its brutality No, they are not elk; only
! some black tailed deer They were feeding on
the berries in that clump Of bushes yonder
when we started them See them swing their
tails from side to side rs they disappear over
the ridge When We get up to that point they
will have vanished as completely as though
swallowed up by the earth. Never mind
about your horse again. He knows how to
get over those rocks and up that hill More
over, you need not keep watch for fear he
will tread on q rattlesnake or step into some
prairiedog hole It is his part Of the business
to look out for these things, and he does it SO
well and oftentimes 50 suddenly that the am
ateur rider is left sprawling on the ground
Look out for yourself and the horse will get
into no trouble.
SMELLS OF A CLASSY SEA
At last we are on the ridge, and now q new
panorama unfolds to view. Far away to the
west, like the long swells Of CLASSY sea,
spreads the rolling prairie. In the distance,
fifty miles away, are the blue peaks of mount
aims; but between them and us is nothing but
ridge and hollow, prairie, grass and sky,
broken here and there by buttes, gorges, and
patches Of sage brush. It is a brighter, yet
seemingly weirder, and a vaster desolation
than we just witnessed Not sign of life is
apparent. Even the very elements are
hushed. The wind does not stir, not a Cloud
is seen, and from the blue sky the sun shines
calmly down on the outstretched motionless
sea Of gold Yet look yonder and you will
see both life and motion. There are q
number Of figures moving along that stony
ridge some miles away to the right. No, they
are not the cowboys, for they are far to our
left; nor are they buffalo, moose or elk. Look
through these glasses. Indiansi Yes; some
Cheyennes or Crows of their reservation on q
marauding expedition. But you need have
no fear Of them. Even If they see US they will
not modest US, for the Indians are not SO brave
as they are pictured, and looking down the
muxzles Of two Winchester rifles will make
them very pacific. They are brave enough,
like a good many white met, when there is no
chance of getting shot; but to face an enemy
In the open field is something they dislike, no
matter what their superiority of numbers.
There, they are gone over the ridge; and
now look out in front of you to the sunny
side of that slope a mile away. Do you no
tice those little grayish white spots! Now
they have disappeared, but wait q moment,
and one by ono they come back Look
through the glass. They are not deer, for
they do not keep on the open plain. Nor are
they cattle, nor buffalo bones, nor white
rocks. They are antelope, and the whitish
appearance is but the sunlight shining on
their glossy coats as they turn We will
make a detour and get behind the slope they
are grazing upon, SO that we may see them
closer; but, mind you, no shooting. They
are worthless for food, except when one is
starving, and they are so beautiful and spirit
uells, it is pity to kill them. Away we go
at hard gallop, and in twenty minutes we
are slowly and cautiously creeping up the
back of the slope upon which we last saw the
animals
TRICKS OF THE ANTELOPE.
We reach the ridge and peep over, but no
antelope. "Where have they gonei They
could not have seen u.s." you exclaim. No,
they did not see US, but we forgot about the
breeze. 1t was blowing family from us to
them, and they smelled US Animals have
more than one sense to warn them Of danger
There they are a quarter Of a mile away on
the side of the opposite slope, strung out like
beads, and watching us with their large,
bulglng eyes. Listen and you can hear the
long drawn phew of the old buck. There
they go of on a canter again, and now once
more they stop, and string out in line to look
at us, their thin legs looking like willow
stems and their white threats and brownish |
jackets shining in the sun. You wish to
chase them The only good it will do will he
to convince you how easily and yet how
swiftly the antelope can slip over the ground; !
yet if you wish it, so be it. At the first touch
Of the spur the horses plunge, pick up their
ears, see some moving objects ahead, and,
imagining there is something to tie lassoed, |
break into a full run.
Away we go over the buffalo grass, dash |
ing through the prairie-dog villages, jumping |
washouts and bitches, rushing up ons slope |
and plunging down another, yet still we do
not gain on the flying spots Of gray and
white. The distance between us grows greater |
as with easy roll the little creatures melt
away Fifteen minutes have elapsed, and now |
they are heading for that round butte. Up |
and around its base they circle, and then are
hid from view. Now urge on your horse. |
for likely they will stop when on;
Of sight, and we can close in on
them from behind. Up we go in their tracks, |
and whirling around the butte, draw rein to |
look. Not an antelope in sight. Where have
they gomez Look behind you. There they
are, stringing away on the back track we just |
came over. That is an antelope trick. They |
simply ran completely around the butte, |
keeping it between US and them, and now arc |
going back to their old grounds.
You are growing tired, the sun is high, and |
we had better get back to the round up. Tho |
cowboy revels in an early dinner, and unless |
we are on time we will have to wait until sun |
down for meal-New York Sun