The Bighorn and the Antelope. 157 



of a unicorn ! Among some autograph letters from this monarch 

 I found one where the following passage occurs. The letter is 

 dated Prague, 23rd May, 1598, and is addressed to the head of the 

 great Fugger family, who were then the Rothschilds of European 

 finance. In it the Emperor acknowledges the receipt of Fugger's 

 letter of the 8th May, referring to certain " Ainkhurns " (One Horn 

 or Unicorn) and states that as this horn is not in Frankfurt he will 

 have search made for it elsewhere. I hope, at some future period, 

 to investigate this matter further ; the prominence given to this 

 picture leaves no doubt in my mind that the object it represented 

 was considered of exceeding rareness. 



Concerning the chase of the antelope little need be added to 

 the voluminous literature that exists. 



In the old days, when one struck a country where little hunting 

 had been done, the once much-talked-of "flagging" of antelopes 

 gave fair sport. By displaying on the top of any rising ground 

 a red handkerchief tied to a stick, so that it should flutter in the 

 breeze, it was easy to decoy a band, particularly during the rutting 

 time, up to short rifle range, for the antelope in its primitive 

 condition exhibits extraordinary curiosity. The shooting itself 

 on such occasions was, of course, a very tame proceeding, but 

 the animals' amusing tactics were interesting to watch. Now 

 approaching at a trot the fluttering rag that had aroused their 

 insatiable curiosity, then circling to one side, or turning back 

 altogether, but looking over their shoulders, till they stopped and 

 again faced the flag, angry stamping of the fore feet betokening 

 their impatience ; then, resuming their progress towards the flag 

 'at a mincing gait, they would finally, if the wind did not betray 

 the hidden watcher, come up quite close. , 



On plains that are dead level antelope shooting was often quite 

 difficult work, for even the best Sharp rifle won't shoot into the 

 next county, and judging distances was not easy, and any 

 slight mistake had more serious consequences than would now-a- 

 days follow the same error in the case of a '256 Mannlicher, which, 

 of course, is an ideal weapon for this sport. 



