The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-07-10


or when we need meat, and IL 1t can b
avoided do not shoot at fawns Or does:
20 the greatest number l have ever
killed in q day was three. This was
jats one November. on an occasion
when our larder was running low. My
foreman and I. upos discovering this
fact, dotermined to make 4 trip next
day back IN the broken country, away
from the river.
We brsakfasted hours before sunrise,
and then mounted our horses and rode
mp the river bottom. The bright prairie
moon was 1T the full, and was sunk In
white flre over tho long row Of jagged
bluffs that rose from across the river,
while its beams brought into fantastic
relief the peaks and crests of the buttes
upon our left. The valley Of the river
itself was In partial darkness, and the
stif, twisted branches Of the sage
brush seemed to take On uncanny
shapes as they stood in the hollows.
The cold was singing. and we let our
willing horses sallop with loose reins.
their hoofs ringing on the frozen
ground. After going up a mile or two
along the course Of the river we turned
OF to follow the bed Of large dry
creek. At Its mouth was a greDt space
Of ground much cut up BY the hoofs Of
the cattle, which was In summer over
flowed and almost morass; but now
the frost-bound earth was like wrin-
killed. iren beneath the horses feet. Be-
hind rs the westerning moon sank
down out OF sight; and with no light
but that Of the stars, we let our horses
thread their own way up the creek bot
tom. When We had gone a couple Of
miles from the river the sky in front
Of our faces took on a faint grayish
tinge, the foresunner Of dawn. All in
the valley was yet dark when we
reached the place where the creek be-
gan to split up and branch out into the
various arms and ravines from which
It headed. We salloped smartiy over
the divide into q set Of coulies and
valleys which ran into q different
creek. and selected a grassy place
where there was good feed to leave the
horses. My companion picketed his;
Manitou needed no picketing.
The tops Of the hills were growing
rosy, but the sun was not yet above
the horizon when we started OF, with
our rifles on our shoulders. walking
In cautious silence. for we were in
good ground and might at any mo-
msnt see a deer. Above US was Z
plateau Of some size, breaking OF
sharply at the rim into a surrounding
stretch Of very rough and rugged coun-
try. 1t sent OF low spurs with notch
ed crests into the valleys and about,
and it's edges were indente; with steep
ravines and half circular basins, their
sides covered with clusters of gnarled
and wind-beaten cedars. often gathered
into groves Of some size. The ground
was 50 broken as to give excellent
cover under which q man could ap.
proach game unseen.
At last, just as the sun had risen,
we came cut by the mouth Of deep
5avine or hollow cut in the flank OF
the plateau, with steep, cedar-clad
sides; and on the crest of Juttins
spur not more than thirty yards from
where l stood, was a black-tail doe
half facing me. / was in the shadow
and for moment she could not make
me out, and stood motionless with hel
head turned toward ne and her great
ears thrown forward Dropping or
my knee, / held the rife q little bach
Of her sh0ulder-too far back. as II
proved. as she stood Quartering and
not broadside to me. No fairer chance
could ever fall to the lot of q hunter
but, to my intense chagrin, she bound
ed or at the report as II unhurt
disappearing instantly. My compan
| ion had now come up. and we ran w
q rise Of ground and crouched dowr
| beside a great block of sandstone. In .
position from which we overlooked thu
whole ravine or hollow. After some
| minutes Of quiet watchfulness. w
heard twig snap-the air was SO still
we could hear anything-some rod
up the ravine. but below us; and i'm
mediately afterward a buck stole on
Of the cedars. Both Of us fred a
| once. and with a convulsive spring b,
rolled over backward. one bullet hav
ing gone through his neck, and tn,
other-probably mine-having brokei
q hind leg. Immediately afterward
another buck broke from the uppe
edge Of the cover. near the top of tn
plateau. and. though I took . hurrie<
shot at him. bounded over the crest
and was lost to sight
We now determined to go down int,
the ravine and look for the doe, and a.
there was good deal Of snow in TIL
bottom and under the trees. we knew
we coaM soon tell II she were wound
ed. ArSer . Attle search we found he
track. and walking along It = few
yards. came upon some drops md thel
splash Of blood. There being n,
need to hurry. We nrst dressed tn
dead buck-a nne, fat fellow. but viii
small misshapen horns-and then tool
up the trail Of the wounded doe. Here
however. again committed an error
and paid too much heed to the trail
and too little to the country roun,
about: and while following It with m.
eyes down On the ground In a plac
where It. was faint. the doe got ul
Il some distance ahead and to one sid<
Of me, and bounded on round q cornel
Of the rayine. The bed where she had