320 srOR TING A D VENTURES 



with the agility of a hare, and the morning' breeze, which 

 hud just begun blowing 1 , sent the lariat wide of its mark in 

 several instances. I had to throw at least a dozen times before 

 I was fortunate enough to accomplish my purpose. Tving a 

 rope behind the fore-shoulders of this creature, I led it nolens 

 volens to where I had left its comrades, and finishing 1 the 

 dam with a shot in the head, I gazed with pleasure on my 

 spoils. I was so lost to everything 1 but the excitement of the 

 chase that I paid no heed to my companions, and it was only 

 when I heard the hunter's call, " Hoo-oo-pee-ee/' delivered in 

 a sharp, high falsetto tone that I was reminded of their exist- 

 ence. I responded to the cry, and in a few moments more 

 the party came dashing on, yelling 1 , "Victory! Victory! 

 Hoop-la !" A brief consultation was held on meeting, and 

 it was decided that as our horses were too fatigued to run 

 again for a while, that we should g-ive the dogs their share 

 of the amusement for the remainder of the day. That matter 

 having been settled, the waggon was sent for, and we went 

 around picking up the slain animals, which amounted to only 

 four. I was the only person who was fortunate enough 

 to lasso any of the numerous progeny that followed their 

 guardians, so they were given to me to dispose of as I 

 pleased. 



Leaving that section, from which all the animals were 

 driven by the reports of the firing, we marched five miles and 

 entered a small knoll-bound plain, along whose crests we 

 could see several herds quietly grazing, but every few mo- 

 ments a sentinel would raise its head to survey the landscape, 

 as if fearful of the approach of some enemy. In all my expe- 

 rience I never saw this animal feeding on any ground that 

 did not allow abroad range of vision, and if, by chance, a herd 

 should frequent a valley, several are always kept on the look-out 

 on the summit of the highest pinnacles, and if the fears of these 

 sentinels are aroused, they give a sharp warning note, and in a 

 moment after the entire column is scampering at its best pace 

 for the ridges, whence they can survey their adversary. On 

 reaching the valley we decided to drive a portion of the herd 

 across it, in order to give the dogs a fair run, and to give 

 ourselves an opportunity of witnessing the sport. With 



