222 Hunting Trips on the Prairie 



was seen ; until, on coming over the crest of the next 

 great divide, I came in sight of a band of six or 

 eight prong-horn about a quarter of a mile off to 

 my right hand. There was a slight breeze from the 

 southeast, which blew diagonally across my path to 

 ward the antelopes. The latter, after staring at me 

 a minute, as I rode slowly on, suddenly started at 

 full speed to run directly up wind, and therefore in 

 a direction that would cut the line of my course less 

 than half a mile ahead of where I was. Knowing 

 that when antelope begin running in a straight line 

 they are very hard to turn, and seeing that they 

 would have to run a longer distance than my horse 

 would to intercept them, I 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 I had expected, 

 the latter, when they saw me running, merely 

 straightened themselves 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 flew 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 bunched 

 together. 



Nearer and nearer we came, Manitou, in spite of 

 carrying myself and the pack behind the saddle, 

 gamely holding his own, while the antelope, with 

 outstretched necks, went at an even, regular gait 

 that offered a strong contrast to the springing bounds 



