204 A Trip on the Prairie. 



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, regu- 

 lar gait that offered a strong contrast to the springing 

 bounds with which a deer runs. At last the two leading 

 animals crossed the line of my flight ahead of me ; when 

 I pulled short up, leaped from Manitou's back, and blazed 

 into the band as they went by not forty yards off, aiming 

 well ahead of a fine buck who was on the side nearest me. 

 An antelope's gait is so even that it offers a good running 

 mark ; and as the smoke blew off I saw the buck roll over 

 like a rabbit, with both shoulders broken. I then emptied 

 the Winchester at the rest of the band, breaking one hind 

 leg of a young buck. Hastily cutting the throat of, and 

 opening, the dead buck, I again mounted and started off 

 after the wounded one. But, though only on three legs, 

 it went astonishingly fast, having had a good start ; and 

 after following it over a mile I gave up the pursuit, though 

 I had gained a good deal ; for the heat was very great, 

 and I did not deem it well to tire the horse at the be- 

 ginning of the trip. Returning to the carcass, I cut off 

 the hams and strung them beside the saddle ; an antelope 

 is so spare that there is very little more meat on the 

 body. 



