ON THE PRAIL 19 



killed was enormous ; but the fun and excite- 

 ment of the chase were the main objects with 

 my friends, to whom the actual killing of the 

 game was of entirely secondary importance. 

 They went out after them about a dozen 

 times during the winter, and killed in all ten 

 or fifteen prong-horns. 



A prong-horn is by far the fleetest animal 

 on the plains ; one can outrun and outlast a 

 deer with the greatest ease. Very swift 

 greyhounds can overtake them, if hunted in 

 leashes or couples; but only a remarkably 

 good dog can run one down single-handed. 

 Besides prong-horn are most plucky little 

 creatures, and will make a most resolute fight 

 against a dog or wolf, striking with their 

 fore-feet and punching with their not very 

 formidable horns, and are so quick and wiry 

 as to be really rather hard to master. 



Antelope have the greatest objection to go- 

 ing on any thing but open ground, and seem 

 to be absolutely unable to make a high jump. 

 If a band is caught feeding in the bottom 

 of a valley leading into a plain they invari- 



