62 THE ANTELOPE OF AMERICA. 



little squads of two or three, and formed a scattered circle round 

 the herd for five or six miles, keeping at a wary distance so as 

 not to alarm them till they were perfectly inclosed, and usually 

 selecting some commanding eminence as a stand. Having gained 

 their positions, a small party rode towards the herd, and with 

 wonderful dexterity the huntsman preserved his seat as he ran at 

 full speed over the hills, and down the steep ravines, and along 

 the borders of the precipices. They were soon outstripped hy 

 the antelopes, which, on gaining the other extremity of the circle, 

 were driven back and pursued by the fresh hunters. They 

 turned and flew rather than ran in another direction ; but there, 

 too, they found new enemies. In this way they were alternately 

 pushed backwards and forwards, till at length, notwithstanding 

 the skill of the hunters, they all escaped ; and the party, after 

 running for two hours, returned without having caught anything, 

 and their horses foaming with sweat. This chase, the greater 

 part of which was seen from the camp, formed a beautiful scene ; 

 but to the hunters is exceedingly laborious, and so unproductive, 

 even when they are able to worry the animal down and shoot 

 him, that forty or fifty hunters will sometimes be engaged for 

 half a day without obtaining more than two or three antelopes." 



That the antelope can frequently, on favorable grounds, be run 

 into with tlie horse, is established beyond dispute. I have met 

 several gentlemen who have done it, or seen it done ; and I once 

 had a three years' old male antelope which had been thus cap- 

 tured. The marks of the cords with which his legs had been tied 

 were still very plainly to be seen, and are even still distinct on the 

 mounted specimen in my collection. To do this requires a horse 

 of great bottom., or endurance, for, in any event, he must be left 

 far behind for the first few miles ; but the great speed of the 

 antelope soon tells upon him, and when he begins to faltei-, if still 

 pressed, and not allowed to stop and take breath, he fails ver}^ 

 rapidly, and almost complete exhaustion ensues. It may be that 

 the antelopes thus captured have been exceptionably slow, or 

 short-winded, and that even with a majority it is not practicable 

 to capture them in this manner. It is very certain, however, 

 that it has sometimes been done. 



The antelope, when pursued on the plains, is inclined to run 

 in a circle, and thus may be taken advantage of by the horseman 

 keeping well within the circle, and as if attempting to head off 

 the chase, which is sure to provoke the animal to make everj'- 

 effort to avoid this result, which brings his course more in the 



