96 The Wilderness Htmte7\ 



it would seem to the man inexperienced in antelope hunt- 

 ing. When fresh meat is urgently needed, and when 

 time is too short, the hunter who is after antelope in an 

 open flattish country must risk many long shots. In no 

 other kind of hunting is there so much long-distance shoot- 

 ing, or so many shots fired for every head of game bagged. 

 Throwing the buck into the wagon we continued our 

 journey across the prairie, no longer following any road, 

 and before sunset jolted down cOwards the big creek for 

 which we had been heading. There were many water-holes 

 therein, and timber of considerable size ; box alder and 

 ash grew here and there in clumps and fringes, beside the 

 serpentine curves of the nearly dry torrent bed, the growth 

 beinof thickest under the shelter of the occasional low bluffs. 

 We drove down to a heavily grassed bottom, near a deep, 

 narrow pool, with, at one end, that rarest of luxuries in the 

 plains country, a bubbling spring of pure, cold water. With 

 plenty of wood, delicious water, ample feed for the horses, 

 and fresh meat we had every comfort and luxury incident 

 to camp life in good weather. The bedding was tossed 

 out on a smooth spot beside the wagon ; the horses were 

 watered and tethered to picket pins where the feed was 

 best ; water was fetched from the spring ; a deep hole was 

 dug for the fire, and the grass roundabout carefully burned 

 off; and in a few moments the bread was baking in the 

 Dutch oven, the potatoes were boiling, antelope steaks were 

 sizzling in the frying-pan, and the kettle was ready for 

 the tea. After supper, eaten with the relish known well 

 to every hard-working and successful hunter, we sat for 

 half an hour or so round the fire, and then turned in 



