1 66 AN AMERICAN HUNTER 



immediately, and I knelt and pulled trigger; but the car- 

 tridge snapped, and the little buck, wheeling round, can- 

 tered off, the white hairs on its rump standing erect. 

 There was a strong cross-wind, almost a gale, blowing, 

 and Lambert's bullet went just behind him; off he went 

 at a canter, which changed to a breakneck gallop, as we 

 again fired; and he went out of sight unharmed, over the 

 crest of the rising ground in front. We ran after him as 

 hard as we could pelt up the hill, into a slight valley, 

 and then up another rise, and again got a glimpse of him 

 standing, but this time farther off than before; and again 

 our shots went wild. 



However, the antelope changed its racing gallop to 

 a canter while still in sight, going slower and slower, and, 

 what was rather curious, it did not seem much frightened. 

 We were naturally a good deal chagrined at our shooting 

 and wished to retrieve ourselves, if possible; so we ran 

 back to the wagon, got our horses and rode after the buck. 

 He had continued his flight in a straight line, gradually 

 slackening his pace, and a mile's brisk gallop enabled us 

 to catch a glimpse of him, far ahead and merely walking. 

 The wind was bad, and we decided to sweep off and try 

 to circle round ahead of him. Accordingly, we dropped 

 back, turned into a slight hollow to the right, and gal- 

 loped hard until we came to the foot of a series of low 

 buttes, when we turned more to the left; and, when we 

 judged that we were about across the antelope's line of 

 march, leaped from our horses, threw the reins over their 

 heads, and left them standing, while we stole up the near- 

 est rise; and, when close to the top, took off our caps and 



