Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1920-03-21

BY TOM A. MARSHALL

The sage brush speedway. No dirt
paved or cement track. A runway
tending over boundIess prairies or
deserts, across sand dunes, rock ridges,
Suliies and prairie dog towns. all stud
ded with assorted cactus. At the fin
ish of this course no liberal purse is
hung UP for successful contestants
who safely reach their goal, welcomed
by deafening plaudits of those assem-
bied in the grandstand.
We now recount a race between an
automobile, mechanical construction
and four-footed gazellew hose home
Is the western prairies, whose speed
endurance and intuitive safety first
tactics, brand them flyers of the sage
brush speedway antelope. An
animal ever wise and sagacious with
abnormally developed bump of eau
tion- Ever alert and watchful, it is
with great difficulty they are APP
preached in the open. Their weak
POINT, open TO attack is curiosity. In
this trait they have the proverbiaI
woman backed off the boards from
every angle. Hunters sighting ante
iope, Immediately drop from sight be-
lore the flock get their first observa-
ton Slowly flag is exposed to view
with quick disappearance, "a red
bandanna handkerchief is most excel
lent as a curiosity exciter) The flag
once located, the leader will slowly ap-
proach on a tour of investigation, fol-
lowed by his flock The flag occasion
ally reappears, they stop look and
listen Closer they come in an effort
10 unfathom the unsolved mystery
The sharp whiplike crack of the
hunters rifle is the final answer and
the penalty for curiosity is fully paid
The Antilocapra Americana once
ranged in large bands on all open
J -airies west of the Mississippi river
from Canada to Mexico. But few scat
G-TF ram # !.
found Antelope are now protected in
every western state. Standing about
three feet in height, four feet long
head supporting a set of 12-inch ebony
horns, shapely ears and deIicately
moulded legs, they are surpassed by no
0Iher animal Tor grace and beauty.
They depend upon speed for safety.
Two kids are usually born in the
spring. remaining with the mother
Until fall when the bucks return and
al seek warmer southern home
The exhaust and speed of automo-
eIles engenderS abnormal curiosity in
the minds of antelope, completely en-
trancing this combination of wisdom
curiosity and coiled muscle springs.
The approach of a gas wagon is
watched until fear supplents inouisi-
tIveness, at which time the race is on.
The most inaccessible trails are their
selected speedway, frenquently run
speed challenge a test of trained mus
cles VS. gasoline developed power: ma
CHINE endurance against ability TO ne
gotiate uneven ground conditions. On
u recent trip through the west I was
travelling in high powered car.
freighted with passengers and luggage.
FROM the top of a ridge we sighted
an old buck with his harem of four
does and family of small kids feeding
IN an adjacent valley They studied
the machine for a moment flashed
tEeir danger flag and headed for a
r:oge about $50 yards distant which
ran parallel with rs, the hog backs
gradually converged together at the
distance of one mile. We gave chase
AS we came together in this neck
and -reck race. the old buck was on the
lead, does strug out at a distance of
about 25 feet apart. while the kids or
also rams" brought up the rear. The
head of the family could have made
the crossing at the intersection of the
ridges, ahead of the machine. in safety.
Looking back he saw the danger to his
concubines. stopped and doubled back
on his trail. Animals We're all worn
10 a "frazzle,. togues swollen. extend
ed sides We're palpitating, the little
prog horns We're all in,-they had lost
the race. During frontier days many
races were staged between cowboys
on their trained ponies and fleet
footd antelope, wherein many sea-
soned riders came to grief, being cata-
pulled to earth as the pony. with
broken leg, emerged from the hole of
prairie dog, in crossing their villages.
remunerative sport now followed