St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-11-16
RODE THE ANTELOPE.
A TenderfOOt Hunter Who Took
His Game by Surprise.

~ AChUSF1Oot III unter VINO TOOK
His Game by Surprise.
/ The tenderest sort of tenderfoot is
| feeling very sore out here i'm Wyoming
I to-day, and as soon as he is able he will
| start back to his home in Connecticut,
says Van TaSSell fWyo.) correspondent
OF the st. Louis Globe Democrat. 1t is
generally known that this is great
country for elk and antelope. In fact,
it is claimed that it is the best antelope
| territory on the continent. BascOm
| Smythe came out here from the Nut
meg state TO hunt, and notified friend
over Ill Manyille, about twenty miles
west, and the two met at little place
called LuSk and started over near
Node ranch, where antelopes were in
abundance, they were told And they
were not disappointed. There seemed
TO be thousands Of them plainly dis
cernlole from every piece OF rising
ground and in every direction. The
horses were Staked out and the two
spOrtSmen started afOOt, and having
gone several miles. with the antelopes
further away each mile, Mr.. Smy the
concluded to change tactics. A little
distance OF stood an old year-befOre-laSt
stock sheitering frame made of boards
on poles and covered with prairie grass.
and ON top of this Mr.. Smythe concluded
to take his place while his friend went
back to the horses, and rode around and
drove the antelOpes up to be slaughtered
His friend agreed, and helping Mr..
Smythe up he started back. Ly-
ing up there in the sun the
nutmeg pilgrim thought his friend
would never, never come in sight,
and, almost famished for water, he was
thinking of climbing down, when five or
SIX feet in front of his face he noticed
the dead grass or hay swelling up and
moving. and presently his eyes almost
started from their sockets upon seeing
an enormous diamond rattlesnake crawl
out into the sun and look around. 1t
saw Smythe at once and cOiled, but then
sat waiting. The tenderfOOt admits
that his heart actually stopped beating,
ana could not nave moved muscle to
save his life. Presently came the warn
ing rattle, and Smythe'S powers re-
turned. lie hadn't time to raise and
jump, so he just ''crawtiShed" quickly,
and his SpaSmodic movement dis
placed or broke board, and
down he went through the shed
and landed exactly astride of an ante
lope'S neck. While he had been wait
ing for one herd another one had come
from the opposite direction, and the
wind blowing from him they had gone
under the shadow OF the shed to rest
The effect produced by his sudden ad-
vent would have caused a dynamite
bomb to blush with shame. He fell
with his face toward the antelope'S tail,
and The beautiful creature quivered for
an instant in fright, while the horns
prevented him getting off, and then
with bound was away Oh the prairie.
lie had ipstinctively. without knowing
1t. graSned a firm hold of each flank
with his hands, and away they went
over the prairie like the wind.
They passed within fifty yards of
Smythe'S friend. who recognized the
situation at glance and started in pur-
suit. They were soon out of sight, how
ever. and flying in direct line for Hat
creek. Two hours later MIR. Smythe
was picked ZIP bruised, bleeding and
dreDched, lying on the sand, where he
had crawled ont of Hat creek. He could
hot be convinced that every bone in his
body was not broken. His nose bled
for an hour. and nausea had not yet left
him. In fact. while riding an antelope
has ludicrOuS side to il, Mr.. Smythe's
Injuries. followed by nervous proStra
ton, made him very dangerously sick
man all night before last and Yesterday.
lie is now pronounced out of danger,
and Will start for home tomorrow.