HUNTING IN CATTLE COUNTRY 151 



near by, I have seen one overhauled and seized by a first- 

 class greyhound; and, on the other hand, I have more 

 than once seen a pronghorn run away from a whole pack 

 of just as good dogs. With a fair start, and on good 

 ground, a thoroughbred horse, even though handi- 

 capped by the weight of a rider, will run down an ante- 

 lope; but this is a feat which should rarely be attempted, 

 because such a race, even when carried to a successful 

 issue, is productive of the utmost distress to the steed. 



Ordinary horses will sometimes run down an antelope 

 which is slower than the average. I once had on my 

 ranch an under-sized old Indian pony named White 

 Eye, which, when it was fairly roused, showed a remark- 

 able turn of speed, and had great endurance. One morn- 

 ing on the round-up, when for some reason we did not 

 work the cattle, I actually ran down an antelope in fair 

 chase on this old pony. It was a nursing doe, and I came 

 over the crest of the hill, between forty and fifty yards 

 away from it. As it wheeled to start back, the old cayuse 

 pricked up his ears with great interest, and the moment 

 I gave him a sign was after it like a shot. Whether, being 

 a cow-pony, he started to run it just as if it were a calf 

 or a yearling trying to break out of the herd, or whether 

 he was overcome by dim reminiscences of buffalo-hunt- 

 ing in his Indian youth, I know not. At any rate, after 

 the doe he went, and in a minute or two I found I was 

 drawing up to her. I had a revolver, but of course did 

 not wish to kill her, and so got my rope ready to try to 

 take her alive. She ran frantically, but the old pony, 

 bending level to the ground, kept up his racing lope and 



