Coyote Hunting on the Plains of Colorado 91 



venture to say such a beautiful race for at least four miles has 

 seldom been witnessed. 



Mr. Petrie called to his hounds in vain. On they went, 

 faster and faster, until in the first mile they came within four 

 or five rods of the last antelope in the herd. Then some of 

 them began to lag, but "jNIack," jNIr. Petrie's greatest hound 

 for speed and endurance, carried on the chase vAih ever a wider 

 opening between himself and his companions, until finally at 

 the end of about a three mile run, the antelope began to draw 

 away from the resolute INIack, and in another mile or less he, 

 also, had to own defeat. We all rejoiced in the wonderful sight 

 except Mr. Petrie, who looked decidedly downcast. He was 

 thinking that after such an exhausting race the prospect of 

 catcliing a coyote that day was decidedly slim; thus liis heart 

 was troubled and his countenance glum. The only compen- 

 sation, poor as it was, was the unstinted praise his old foreman 

 and the writer gave to the greatest race either had ever beheld, 

 or is ever hkely to again. 



We had raced away at the top of our horses' speed, and 

 the greyhounds had passed us as if we were standing still. 

 Mr. Petrie was leading and when he took in the situation, he 

 drew rein, and we followed his example. 



The old cattleman signalised his pleasure and approbation 

 of the wonderful sight in four words that summed up the 

 whole situation with directness and clearness, if not with 

 elegance. It told of his surprise, his wonderment, his pleasure. 

 At the same time it was liis way, at least, of complimenting 

 Mr. Petrie and the hounds. His body swung in the saddle, 

 his horse came up alongside that of his despondent employer, 

 and this is what he said. "Well, I'll be damned!" Mr. Petrie 

 smiled his thanks, and we rode on to collect the hounds. 



The poor hounds came straggling back to the wagon, done 

 to a turn. It. was hard to say wliich had suffered most, for each 

 one of them had simply run himself or herself to a stand- 



