ON THE PRAIRIE 49 



turning to the carcass, I cut off the hams 

 and strung them beside the saddle ; an ante- 

 lope is so spare that there is very little more 

 meat on the body. 



This trick of running in a straight line is 

 another of the antelope's peculiar character- 

 istics which frequently lead it into danger. 

 Although with so much sharper eyes than a 

 deer, antelope are in many ways far stupider 

 animals, more like sheep, and they especially 

 resemble the latter in their habit of following 

 a leader, and in their foolish obstinacy in 

 keeping to a course they have once adopted. 

 If a horseman starts to head off a deer the 

 latter will always turn long before he has 

 come within range, but quite often an ante- 

 lope will merely increase his speed and try 

 to pass ahead of his foe. Almost always, 

 however, one if alone will keep out of gun- 

 shot, owing to the speed at which he goes, 

 but if there are several in a band which is 

 well strung out, the leader only cares for 

 his own safety and passes well ahead him- 

 self. The others follow like sheep, without 



