IN THE FAR WEST. 155 



such a large company as ours. Their presence was a signal 

 for a fierce yell of delight, and away went our party after them. 

 This caused the prowlers to think we had some sinister designs 

 against them, and to consider the enthusiasm of our greeting 

 too demonstrative for their sensitive nature, so they gave a 

 startled look of surprise, which lasted for a few seconds, and 

 feeling assured that they were the great centre of attraction, 

 became alarmed, and sped away at their best pace. The dogs, 

 assuming that something was up, began to bark loudly, but 

 when they were " hied " on they fancied that it was the signal 

 to commence fighting, and at it they went, now rolling over 

 and over each other, then breaking loose in order to overtake 

 their masters. Two mongrels, which were too cautious to 

 light, and too Heet of foot to be captured by the bullies, espied 

 the runaways, and after them they went with sharp yelps. 

 The quarries being checked to the leeward, headed up wind, 

 but they had not gone far before they were stopped by another 

 party of horsemen and their dogs. This forced them to take 

 a middle course, so they bent their footsteps towards a series of 

 wave-like hillocks that stretched far away to the north. 

 Horses and dogs were now in full pursuit, and it was hard to 

 tell whether the latter or the men made the most noise, for all 

 were yelling or yelping. The chase led over the hillocks for 

 a mile or two, then into a narrow valley, and up this the 

 hunted turned their noses. This gave us a splendid chance 

 for a run, and we resolved to utilize it, as we had no fleet 

 dogs to bring them to bay. Putting spurs to our steeds, each 

 individual now made a race of it, as every one was anxious to 

 claim the first brush. AVe had a good run of two miles or 

 more over this pretty vale when the coyotes again changed 

 their course suddenly, and broke over the hills with, appa- 

 rently, an army of dogs in pursuit. They had, in fact, almost 

 run into an Indian village, and had, as a result, brought 

 the large canine force, which always accompanies the red men, 

 after them. The new pursuers were fresh ; the coyotes were 

 getting tired and scared ; and the consequence was that they 

 were soon overtaken and killed by their own nearest relatives, 

 that follow man in his wanderings. The inglorious ending of 



