A Trip on the Prairie 213 



imagined, a much better way of hunting it than is 

 shooting it with the rifle, which latter, though need- 

 ing more skill in the actual use of the weapon, is in 

 every other respect greatly inferior as a sport to 

 still-hunting the black-tail or big-horn. 



I never but once took a trip of any length with 

 antelope hunting for its chief object. This was one 

 June, when all the men were away on the round-up. 

 As is usual during the busy half of the ranchman's 

 year, the spring and summer, when men have no 

 time to hunt and game is out of condition, we had 

 been living on salt pork, beans, potatoes, and bread ; 

 and I had hardly had a rifle in my hand for months ; 

 so, finding I had a few days to spare, I thought I 

 should take a short trip on the prairie, in the beau- 

 tiful June weather, and get a little sport and a little 

 fresh meat out of the bands of prong-horn bucks, 

 which I was sure to encounter. Intending to be gone 

 but a couple of days, it was not necessary to take 

 many articles. Behind my saddle I carried a blanket 

 for bedding, and an oil-skin coat to ward off the 

 wet; a large metal cup with the handle riveted, not 

 soldered on, so that water could be boiled in it; a 

 little tea and salt, and some biscuits; and a small 

 waterproof bag containing my half-dozen personal 

 necessaries not forgetting a book. The whole 

 formed a small, light pack, very little encumbrance 

 to stout old Manitou. In June, fair weather can 

 generally be counted on in the dry plains country. 



I started in the very earliest morning, when the 

 intense brilliancy of the stars had just begun to 



