COURSING THE ANTELOPE WITH GREYHOUNDS. 



33o 



jacks, started for it, aud never saw the Antelope at all. 

 As soon as we discovered our predicament we stopped, but 

 not in time, for the Antelope had seen us, and ran off a 

 mile or two before they stopped. We were so angry with 

 the hounds, rabbit, and our luck, that we never looked back 

 to see whether the hounds caught the rabbit or not, but fol- 

 lowed on slowly after the Antelojoe, so as to give them 

 another turn when the hounds should come up. After 

 awhile the hounds caught up with us, and we again sighted 

 the Antelope standing a ndle or more away, on a ridge, 

 watching for us. We had to maneuver a good deal before 

 we could get any closer to them, for the country was nearly 

 level, and there was not even a bunch of grass that we could 

 use for cover. After considerable delay and anxiety, for 

 fear another jack would get up, we made up our minds we 

 could get no closer; and as the Antelope had seen us, and 

 were getting ready to start, we had to do something at once. 

 We spoke to the hounds, and away we went, the Antelope 

 at least a half-mile away. They made a swing to the right, 

 and the hounds saw them for the first time. Then the 

 chase commenced in earnest. But there were big chances 

 in favor of the game, and as my hounds had never seen an 

 Antelope (they being young), I was not sure they would 

 take hold of one, even if they could come uj) with them. 



The Antelope continued to swing to the right, and here 

 one of the hounds — Mike — exhibited the best judgment I 

 ever saw in a young dog. Instead of following the chase, 

 he shot off at an angle of ninety degrees, and as they saw 

 him coming they undertook to head him off; but he was too 

 smart for them, and kept them on the outside until he fell 

 in behind them, not more than fifty or sixty yards astern. 

 By this little piece of strategy he was away ahead of the 

 other hounds, and of the hunters who were bringing up the 

 rear, yelling like Indians on the war-path. We could see 

 he was gaining on the herd, and for the first time I realized 

 that he was going to catch one if lie had proper staying 

 qualities. We did not have to wait long to determine that 

 point, for in less than a quarter of a mile he dashed into 



