ii6 Deer and Antelope of North America 



Prongbuck water once a day, often travelling great 

 distances to or from some little pool or spring. 

 Of course, if possible, I liked to leave the horse 

 by such a pool or spring. On the great plains to 

 which I used to make these excursions there was 

 plenty of water in early spring, and it would often 

 run, here and there, in the upper courses of some 

 of the creeks — which, however, usually contained 

 running water only when there had been a cloud- 

 burst or freshet. As the season wore on the 

 country became drier and drier. Water would 

 remain only in an occasional deep hole, and few 

 springs were left in which there was so much as 

 a trickle. In a strange country I could not tell 

 where these water-holes were, but in the neigh- 

 borhood of the ranch I of course knew where I 

 was likely to find them. Often, however, I was 

 disappointed ; and more than once after travelling 

 many miles to where I hoped to find water, there 

 would be nothing but sun-cracked mud, and the 

 horse and I would have eighteen hours of thirst 

 in consequence. A ranch horse, however, is ac- 

 customed to such incidents, and of course when a 

 man spends half the day riding, it is merely a 

 matter of slight inconvenience to go as long with- 

 out a drink. 



Nevertheless, if I did reach a spring, it turned 

 the expedition into pleasure instead of toil. Even 

 in the hot weather the ride toward the plains over 



