62 HUNTING TRIPS 



the cowboys I headed the horse towards the 

 more rolling country where the prairies be- 

 gin to break off into the edges of the Bad 

 Lands. Several bands of antelope were seen, 

 and I tried one unsuccessful stalk, not be- 

 ing able to come within rifle range; but to- 

 wards evening, when only about a mile from 

 a wooded creek on whose banks I intended to 

 sleep, I came across a solitary buck, just as 

 I was topping the ridge of the last divide. 

 As I was keeping a sharp lookout at the time, 

 I reined in the horse the instant the head of 

 the antelope came in sight, and jumping off 

 crept up till I could see his whole body, 

 when I dropped on my knee and took steady 

 aim. He was a long way off (three hundred 

 yards by actual pacing), and not having 

 made out exactly what we were he stood still, 

 looking intently in our direction and broad- 

 side to us. I held well over his shoulder, 

 and at the report he dropped like a shot, the 

 ball having broken his neck. It was a very 

 good shot ; the best I ever made at antelope, 

 of which game, as already said, I have killed 



