The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-07-03

HUNTING
THE
ANTELOPE
BY
THEODORE ROOSEVELT

appears wet an. With here ana there a
few tussocks Of taller blades in it. it
Is well to avoid it, Often a man may
have to so along q creek nearly q mile
before he can find a safe crossing. or
else run the risk Of seeing his horse
mired hard and fast. When n horse is
once in a mud-hole it will perhaps so
exhaust itself by its first desperate
and fruitless struggle that 1t is almost
impossible to get it out. Its bride
and saddle have to be taken OF: il
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 it Is hauled out by main force
Otherwise man may have to work
half n day. fixing the horses legs in
the right position and then taking 1t by
the forelock and endeavoring to get it
to make plunge; each plunge bring
ing it perhaps a few inches nearer the
firm ground. Quicksands 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 on ac-
count Of these Quicksands. Always in
crossing unknown ground that looks
dangerous 1t is best to feel your way
very cautiously along and. If 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, l came in sight Of a band of
six or eight prong-horn about q quar-
ter Of q mile OF to my right hand.
There was a slight breeze from the
southeast, which blew diagonally
across my path towards the antelopes.
The latter, after staring ut me min
ute. as l 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 a mile ahead OF where
l was. knowing that when antelope
begin running in q straight line they
are very hard to turn, and seeing that
they would have to run longer dis
lance than my horse would to inter-
cept them, clapped spurs into Mani
tou, and the game old fellow. a very
| fleet 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. their
courses being at an angle that would
certainly bring them together. Two
Of the 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 necIs.
went at al even, regular gait that
offered strong contrast to the spring
ing bounds with which a 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 as 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 it
offers a good running mark: and as the
smoke blew OF l saw the buck roll
over like a 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. l again mounted and start
ed of after the wounded one. But.
though only on three legs. 1t went as
tonishing,y fast. having had good
start: and after following it over a
mile l gave UP the pursuit. though
had gained a good deal: for the heat
was very great. and did not deem 1t
we'll to tire the horse at the beginning
Of the trip. Returning to the carcass,
cut OF the har,s and strung them be-
that there is very little more meat on
the body.
This trick Of running In a straight
line is another of the antelope's pecui-
far characteristics which frequently
lead 1t into danger. Although with SO
much sharper eyes than a deer. ante
lope are in many ways far stupide-
animals. more like sheep. and they
especially resemble the latter in their
habit Of following leader. and in
their foolish oi,stinacy in keeping 10
q course they have once adopted II
horseman starts to head of a deer
the lattes will always turn long be-
fore he has come within range. but
quite often an antelope will merely In
crease his speed and try to pass ahead
Of his foe. Almost always. however.
one il alone Will keep or. of gunshot.
owing to the speed at which he goes.
but il there are several in band
which is well strung out. the leader
only cares for his own safety and
passes we'll ahead himself. The 9th
ers follow like sheep. without turning
in the least from the line the FIRST fol-
lowed. and thus may PISS within close
range IfNthe leader bounds into the
air. those following will often go
through exactly the same motions: and
il he turns the others are very apt to