IN THE FAR WEST. 315 



long hind-legs enable them to dash up a hillock with, perhaps, 

 greater speed than they can show on the level ; but where the 

 undulations of a plain are not very marked, or hillocks 

 are far apart, I am inclined to think that a fast horse can 

 fairly compete with them for a short distance. A good 

 dcerhound or greyhound would make short work of them if 

 they did not get too much of a start; but if that exceeds one 

 or two hundred yards the dog must be fleet indeed that can 

 pull down a full-grown stag in a dash of a mile or two. 

 Coursing them with greyhounds is now the most popular 

 means of capturing them in the West, and most exciting sport 

 it is, as persons can follow the chase on horseback, and, if 

 well mounted, they ought to see all its turnings. Several 

 officers of the army, and even rough-and-ready fanners and 

 stock-raisers, keep dogs specially for hunting them, as the old 

 system of stalking them is rapidly dying out amongst true 

 sportsmen. 



To approach a herd undetected requires the most careful 

 working, as sentinels are always on duty on elevated knolls, 

 and as they command a broad view of the surrounding country, 

 their eyes and noses are keen enough to discover the approach 

 of any hunter, unless he is well concealed by bushes, hil- 

 locks or ravines, and beats towards them from the leeward. 

 Their hearing is also very acute, so the stalkers must be care- 

 ful to make as little noise as possible. I have often thought 

 them to be as defective in vision as the ordinary deer, and to 

 be unable to identify objects unless they were in motion, for I 

 have frequently sat on the prairie to the leeward of a group, 

 and seen several approach me without any sense of fear, the 

 only indication they gave of recognizing my presence being to 

 stare at me at intervals. They have often come near enough 

 to give me a shot at them while in that position ; but the 

 young were the most incautious and unsuspicious. If I made 

 the least visible movement, however, they would scamper away 

 at once, and circle around me at a distance, as if trving to 

 solve what my designs were towards them. 



When shot at, I have known them to make several jumps 

 before leaving for safer quarters, they seeming to have no idea 



