286 MULE-HUNTING EXPEDITION. 
Their favourite haunts appear to be the grassy 
prairies, that extend hundreds of miles without 
a break through Texas and Oregon, dotted - 
everywhere with small patches of timber. As 
the eye wanders over the limitless tract of 
prairie, these small isolated belts and clumps 
of trees exactly resemble beautifully-wooded 
islands, studding a sea of waving grass. Here 
the prong-buck wanders in herds of from sixty 
to seventy; naturally shy, approachmg them 
is not by any means an easy matter; on the 
least alarm the males give the shrill whistling 
snort, toss their graceful heads, sniff the air, 
stamp with their forefeet, then bound away like 
the wind; the herd circle round at first, then 
wheel up again in tolerable line, have another 
look, and, if apprehensive of danger, dash off, 
and seldom stop until safe from all risk of harm. 
There are two methods of hunting them prac- 
tised by the Indians, on horseback and on foot. If 
the former, three or four mounted savages, armed 
with bows, arrows, and lassos, approach from 
different points, so as to get a herd of antelopes 
between them on the open prairie. They then 
ride slowly round and round the herd, each 
time diminishing the circle: the terror-stricken 
beasts huddle closer and closer together, and 
