AN ANTELOPE CHASE. 187 



a straw more would seem to him large enough to sus- 

 tain the traditional drowning man. The feat marks 

 itself by a life-long backache, but, if he has performed 

 it gracefully, he bears with it a reputation for a fab- 

 ulous reserve of power, the exhibition seeming but 

 the safety valve to his supposed giant forces strug- 

 gling for expression." 



Our learned friend seldom found us less attentive 

 than then. All the wagons were stopped, and from 

 every elevation upon them we looked out over the 

 solitudes at the race going on before us. Pursuer and 

 pursued were pitting against each other the same 

 quality — speed. There was no lying in ambush or 

 taking unawares. The fleetest-footed of game was 

 flying before the swiftest of dogs. There could be 

 no trailing, as these hounds run only by sight. What 

 a straining of muscles ! The low ridge bcirely lifting 

 the animals against the horizon, their legs, from rap- 

 idity of motion, were invisible, and the bodies, for a 

 short space, seemed floating in air. It was one short, 

 black line, running rapidly into twelve gray ones, 

 these latter resolving occasionally into as many balls 

 of white cotton, when the puffy, rabbit-like tails of the 

 antelopes were turned toward us. Two of the best 

 mounted horsemen from our party had started with 

 the chase, but seemed scarcely moving, so rapidly 

 were they left behind. 



Twice we thought the hound had closed, but in- 

 stantly succeeding views showed daylight still be- 

 tween, although the narrow strip was being blotted 

 out with the same regular certainty with which the 



dark slide of the magic lantern seizes the figures on 

 10 



