Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1908-10-23

afternoon ride. When 1t came to
crossing over the dry creek on whose
bank we had rested, we almost went
down in a quicksand. and 1t was only
by frantic struggles and flounderings
that we managed to get over.
On account of these q~uicksands and
mud-holes, crossing the creeks on the
prairie Is often very disagreeable work.
Even when apparently perfectly dry
the bottom may have merely a thin
crust of hard mud and underneath a
fathomless bed of slime. II the grass
appears wei and with here and there a
few tussocks Of taller blades in 1t, 1t
Is well to avoid It. Often a man may
have to go along a creek nearly a mile
before he car find a safe crossing. or
else run the risk of seeing his horse
mired hard and fast When a horse Is
once In a mud-hole 1t will perhaps SO
and fruitless struggle that 1t is almost
impossible to get 1t out. Its bride
and saddle have to be taken off; If
another horse Is along the lariat Is
drawn from the pommel of the latters
saddle to the neck of the one that Is In,
and 1t Is hauled out by main force.
Otherwise a man may have to work
half a day, fixing the horses legs in
the right position and then taking 1t by
the forelock and endeavoring to get 1t
to make a plunge: each plunge bring
ing 1t perhaps a few inches nearer the
arm ground Q~uicksands are even
more dangerous than these mud-holes.
as, IL at all deep, a creature that can
not get out Immediately is sure to be
speedily engulfed. Many parts of the
Little Missouri are impossible Oh ac-
count of these q~uicksands. Always in
crossing unknown ground hat looks.
dangerous 1t is best to feel your way
very cautiously along and. II possible,
to find out some cattle trail or even
game trail which can be followed.
For some time after leaving the
creek nothing was seen: until. ON COM
ing over the crest OF the next great
divide. | came In sight Of a band of
six or eight prong-horn about a quar-
ter of n mile or to my right hand,
There was a slight breeze from the
southeast. which blew d~iagonally
across my path towards the antelopes.
The latter. after staring at me a min
ute. as | rode slowly on, suddenly
started at full speed to run directly
up wind. and therefore In a direction
that would cut the line of my course
less than half a mile ahead of where
| was. Knowing that when antelope
begin running In a straight line they
are very hard to turn, and seeing that
they would have to run a longer dis
lance than my horse would to inter
cept them, ] clapped spurs into Mani
tou, and the game old fellow, a very
feet runner. stretched himself down
to the ground and seemed to go almost
as fast as the quarry. IS l had ex-
pected, the latter, when they saw me
running. merely Strengthened them
selves out and went on, possibly even
faster than before, without changing
the line of their flight. keeping right
up wind. Both horse and antelope
fairly flew over the ground, their
courses being at an angle that would
certainly bring them together. Two
of tho antelope led, by some fifty
yards or so, the others. who were all
punched together. Nearer and nearer
we came, Manitou. in spite of carrying
myself and the pack behind the sad
die, gamely holding his own while the
antelope, with outstretched necks.
went at an even, regular gait that
offered a strong contrast to the spring
ing bounds with which a e run. At
last the two leading animals crossed
the line of my flight ahead of me;
when | pulled short up. leaped from
Manitou's back, and blazed into the
band as they went by not forty yards
off, aiming we'll ahead of a fine buck
who was on the side neares me.
An a~ntelope's gait is 80 even that 1t
offers a good running mark; and as the
smoke blew Off l saw the buck roll
over like a rabbit. with both shoulders
broken. | then emptied the Winchester
at the rest of the band, breaking n
hind leg OF a young buck. Hastily cut
ting the throat of, and opening. the
dead buck, ] again mounted and start
ed off after the wounded one. But.
though only on three legs. 1t went as
tonishingly fast, having had a good
start: and after following 1t over a
mile | gave up the pursuit. though !
had gained a good deal: for the heat
was very great. and | did not deem 1t
well to tire the horse at the beginning
of the trip. Returning to the carcass.
cut Off the hams and strung them be
side the saddle: an antelope is so spare
that there is very little more meat on
the body.
This tric' + running In a straight
line is anb of the antelope's pecul-
lar ch? q les which frequently
bes 1t 1 er. Although with so
III b. es than a deer, ante
u = y ways far stupider
IN n " like sheep, and they
- Il de the latter In their