IN THE FAR WEST. 323 



stag having decided to seek safety among the higher ridges ; 

 but the determined pursuers had closed the distance so much 

 that ere he could seek his retreat he was compelled to double 

 and turn in every possible direction. This was the prettiest 

 bit of a run I ever saw, for quick as were the twists of the 

 fugitive those of the hounds were not less so, and they lost 

 little ground in the doublings. Within an area of one mile 

 the animal was turned twelve or fifteen times perhaps ; but 

 overcome by fatigue and the presence on every side of some 

 one of its pursuers, which left it no means of escape except out- 

 running them, it began to slacken its pace until it was finally 

 dragged to the earth by its merciless foes. When we reached 

 the quarry it was alive, the hounds being too weary to kill it, 

 so a revolver was put to its head, as it was injured so much 

 as to be unable to live any length of time. Were it not for its 

 injuries, the gallant creature would have received its life for 

 the sake of the amusement it afforded and the display of 

 speed it manifested. 



As the dogs were too fatigued to run any more for some 

 time, we went in quest of fawns, and, meeting many, we 

 spent the greater portion of the day in lassoing them, but 

 we secured only three, as our party were not much used to 

 that mode of hunting. We returned to camp about four 

 o'clock in the afternoon and partook of a hearty dinner, of 

 which antelope-steak was the most prominent portion. The 

 meat was by no means pleasant to the taste, being both dry 

 and leathery ; but as we wanted sport and not pabulum we 

 cared little for that, and ate it only because it was a novel 

 dish to some of us. After smoking our cigars we again 

 started out, but this time each carried a long staff, to which 

 was attached a red piece of cloth, as well as our rilles. Hiding 

 about two miles from camp, we struck a herd, but, instead of 

 chasing them, we dismounted, and planting our pennants 

 in the ground at a distance of several yards from each 

 other, we tethered our horses and lay down near our 

 gaudy banners. The antelopes, which were startled at our 

 first appearance, began to circle around us while engaged in 

 this preparation, as if trying to learn what in the world it 

 meant. Finding that they were not molested, they commenced 



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