PRAIRIE SPORTS. 265 



or delicate article of food. In very many regions, if I am not 

 much misinformed, salt pork and tough poultry are infinitely 

 prefen-ed to Venison, Grouse, or Wild-fowl, unless in the large 

 and opulent cities. 



Hawks can be, and in the East — India and Persia especially — 

 are trained to pursue and take the Antelope. It is said, and I 

 can easily conceive it to be, tlie finest sport in existence. The 

 fleetest of quarry a-foot, the noblest of animals, the thorough- 

 bred horse, the fleetest of dogs, and the bravest of birds in pur- 

 suit — the rush of the horse over the boundless green sward, the 



1 swoop of the Falcon through the illimitable air — what excite- 



1 ment could exceed that. 



If I could imagine it possible, I would ask no better sport, 

 than a thorough-bred horse, a brace of Greyhounds, and a cast 

 of Hawks, would afford, at dawn of an autumn day, on the far- 

 thest wilds of the West, with the Antelope, the Grouse, and the 

 [Whooping Crane for my quarry. 



I Whether such sport will be seen ever on this side of the At- 

 lantic, time alone can tell — elsewhere it will not through the 

 l)road universe ; if what I dream of occur ever, ere age have 

 chilled my blood, and dimmed my eye, and unnerved my bridle 

 hand, I will see it, and perchance may shout the death-halloo 

 of a Prong-horn Antelope. 



If not, reader, mine, I advise thee not much to try him. I 

 doubt not thou wilt not take him, and if thou do, I doubt yet 

 more whether he himself, or the fun, repay the toil of taking him. 



