Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-11-16

CNCu W1CA dPPAASAASsS
the bottom may have merely tnln
crust of hard mud and underneath
fathomless bed of slime. If the grass
appears wet and with here and there a
few tussocks of taller blades in 1t. ii
Is well to avoid it. Often man may
have to go along creek nearly mile
before he can find a safe crossing. or
else run the risk Of seeing his horse
mired hard and fast. When a horse is
once in mud-hoie it will perhaps so
exhaust itself by Its first desperate
and fruitless struggle that 1t is almost
impossible to get 1t out. Its bride
and saddle have to be taken on; II
another horse is along the lariat is
drawn from the pommel Of the latter's
saddle to the neck of the one that Is In.
and 1t is hauled out by main force
otherwise u man may have to work
half 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 it perhaps few inches nearer the
Arm ground. Quicksands are even
more dangerous than these mud-holes.
as. II 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 on ac-
count Of these quicksands. Always in
crossing unknown ground that looks
DANGEROUS it is best to feel your way
very cautiously along and. IL 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 band OF
six or eight prong-horn about quar-
ter OF mile off to my right hand.
There was slight breeze from the
southeast. which blew diagonally
across my path towards the antelopes.
The latter, after staring at me min
ute, as rode slowly on, suddenly
started at full speed to run directly
up wind, and therefore In direction
that would cut the line Of my course
less than half q mile ahead OF where
was. Knowing that when antelope
begin running in straight line they
are very hard to turn, and seeing that
they would have to run q longer DIS
lance than my horse would to inter-
cept them, clapped spurs into Mani
tou. and the game old fellow, very
feet runner, stretched himself down
to the ground and seemed to go almost
as fast as the quarry. AS 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 few over the ground. theil
courses being at an angle that woule'
certainly bring them together. Two
of the antelope led, by some NIFTY
wards or SO, the others, who were al
punched together. Nearer and nearer
we came, Mnnitou. in spite OF carrying
myself and the pack behind the sad
die, gamely holding his own, while the
antelope, with outstretched necks,
went Mt an even, regular gait that
offered a strong contrast to the spring
sng bounds with which deer run. AT
last the two leading animals crossed
the line of my fight ahead OF me;
when pulled short up. leaped from
Manitou's back, and blazed into the
band rs they went by not forty yards
off. aiming we'll ahead OF fine buck
who was on the side nearest me.
An antelope's gait is SO even that 1t
offers good running mark; and MS the
smoke blew of saw the buck roll
over like rabbit, with both shoulders
broken. then emptied the Winchester
at the rest Of the band, breaking one
hind leg of young buck. Hastily cut
ting the throat Of, and opening. the
dead buck, again amounted and start
ed off after the wounded one. But.
though only on three legs, it went as
tonishingly fast, having had good
start; and after following it over q
mile / gave up the pursuit. though
had gained 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 OH
the body.
This trick of running In straight
line is another of the antelope's pecul-
| lar characteristics which frequently
lead it into danger Although with SO
much sharper eyes than deer. ante
lope are in many ways far stupider
animals, more like sheep. and they
especially resemble the latter IN theil
habit of following leader, and IN
their foolish obstinacy in keeping to
course they have once adopted. II
q horseman starts to head off deer
the latter will always turn long be-
fore he has come within range. but
quite often an antelope will merely H.
crease his speed and try to pass aheao
of his foe. Almost always, however,
one if alone will keep out of gunshot,
owing to the speed at which he goes,
but if there are several IN Dano
which Is we'll strung out, the leader
only cares for his own safety ana
passes well ahead himself. The 9th
ers follow like sheep, without turning
in the least from the line the hrst fol
lowed, and thus may pass within close
range. II the leader bounds into the
air, those following Will often go
through exactly the same motions; and