181 



had covered half the distance between us itors at almost the same instant, and for 

 and their starting point, they began to about two or three minutes thereafter we 

 grow suspicious and stopped. They cir- fanned them about as vigorously as ever 

 cled around, turned back, walked a few a herd got fanned under similar circum- 

 steps, and then paused and looked back stances. The air was full of leaden mis- 

 at the, to them, mysterious apparition, siles ; the dry dust raised under and 

 But they could not resist its magic influ- around the fleeing herd as it does when 

 ence. Again they turned and came to- a team trots over a dusty road. Clouds 

 ward it, stopped, and gazed curiously at of smoke hung over us, and the distant 

 it. The old buck who led the herd hills echoed the music of our artillery 

 stamped impatiently, as if annoyed at be- until the last white rump disappeared in 

 ing unable to solve the mystery. Then the cottonwoods on the river bank, 

 they walked cautiously toward us again, "When the smoke of battle cleared 

 down an incline into a valley, which took away, and we looked over the field, we 

 them out of our sight, and out of sight found that we had not burned our pow- 

 of the flag. This of course rendered der in vain. Five of the little fellows, the 

 them still more impatient, and when they two bucks and three does, had fallen vie- 

 again came in sight on the next ridge, tims to their curiosity. The two fawns 

 they were running. But as soon as their had, strangely enough, escaped, probably 

 leader caught sight of the flag, he only because they, so much smaller than 

 stopped, as did the others in their turn their parents, were less exposed." 

 when they reached the top of the ridge. The antelope have a curious way of 

 There were seven in the herd, two bucks, protecting their young, when on the open 

 three does and two fawns. They were prairie. This is accomplished by placing 

 now not more than a hundred yards from a ring of sharp-pointed cacti about a spot 

 me, and still less from the other two of 'which has been beaten smooth by their 

 our party. Their position was every- hoofs. Inside this ample protection the 

 thing we could wish, and though we animal cares for its young and secures in- 

 might possibly have brought them a few gress and egress for itself by jumping 

 yards nearer, there was a possibility of over the ring of cacti. This serves to pro- 

 their scenting us, even across the wind, tect them from the majority of their foes, 

 which, of course, we had arranged to which inhabit the open country, 

 have in our favor, and I decided that The antelope does not thrive well in 

 rather than run the risk of this and the captivity, the older ones soon killing 

 consequent stampede, I would shoot themselves in their attempts to escape, 

 while I had a good chance. It had been The young taken soon after their birth 

 arranged that I was to open the ball, so I generally die early, unless very special 

 drew my peep and globe sights down care is bestowed upon them, and even if 

 very finely, taking the white breast of the they survive the juvenile state, they are 

 old buck for my bull's-eye, and pulled, very likely to die when three or four 

 Huffman's Kennedy and Jack's carbine months old, from pyaemic sores or in- 

 paid their compliments to the pretty vis- flammation of the limbs. 



