THE CHIRICAHU HOUNDS. 



LT. A. F. CAPRON, U. S. A. 



We had been in camp for over a week, 

 performing the usual routine duties, and it 

 is needless to say I wanted a change. As 



1 was passing through the camp of the 

 prisoners of war, I met Naiche, the war 

 chief of the Chiricahua Apaches, and he, 

 like myself, was also weary of " straight 

 duty." 



To make up a hunting party was the 

 work of a moment, and in an hour we were 

 off for the mountains, which lie to the West 

 of the fort. I will not tire you with an 

 account of the trip, but will speak only 

 of one incident of it. 



We were after deer — Naiche, Perico, and 

 To-clan-ny, all of whom were Indians, and 

 myself. Just as we rode to the top of a 

 little " divide," the Indians halted and 

 pointed to a small clump of woods about 

 eight hundred yards off. 



" Deer " said Naiche. 



" How many? " I asked. 



" Three," he said. 



I did not see them, but knew if the Indian 

 said they were there, it was all right. These 

 Indians beat the Dutch for being able to 

 make out objects at a distance. 



Naiche then gave a few directions to the 

 other Indians, who dismounted and led 

 their horses back down the divide. Now 

 between ourselves and the deer, was a large 

 open space, covered only with grass. On 

 our right front, about a mile away, was a 

 large hill, called Signal mountain, by the 

 army people. The deer were about a thou- 

 sand yards from this hill. It was the " key 

 to the position," so Naiche and I set out to 

 work our way to it, and by following up 

 the near side of the " divide," finally ac- 

 complished the task without having been 

 seen by the game. We then hid our horses 

 and took up a good position. 



Away off to our left we could see the 



2 men who had remained behind, or rather 

 Naiche saw them. I saw them afterward, 

 with my field-glass. They were slowly 

 working their way toward the clump of 

 woods. 



The wind was from the South — that is, 

 it was blowing from the deer toward 

 Naiche and me, so the other men could 

 not work up in rear of the wood, and thus 

 be screened from the view of the animals. 



Then again, the grass was not more than 

 3 or 4 inches high, so it was mighty ticklish 

 work trying to get close enough to be able 

 to start the game up toward the hill. 



The men would crawl a little way and 

 then stop, and after watching the deer for 

 a minute or 2, would begin crawling again. 

 Several times the animals stopped grazing 

 and looked over in their direction, and I 

 thought they must have surely seen the 

 men. Then the game would go to eat- 

 ing again, and again would the Indians 

 commence their slow journey. 



In this way the Apaches worked up to 

 within 50 yards. It was the most beautiful 

 and scientific stalking I had ever seen. But 

 how they were to make the deer run at right 

 angles to their position I could not see. I 

 felt sure, that when they were seen, the 

 game would go flying up the country, 

 straight away from the men. 



This is how they " worked it." 



While working up to the animals, the 2 

 men had separated by about 25 or 30 yards. 

 The man on the left, To-clan-ny, was about 

 on a line with the deer, while Perico was 

 nearer us. 



Perico suddenly shouted, in a loud shrill 

 voice. Of course, we could not hear it, 

 but he told me about it afterward. The 

 deer- jumped and looked toward him. At 

 the same instant, To-clan-ny jumped up and 

 ran to his left and front, in such a way as 

 to place himself slightly in rear of the game. 

 Perico, after shouting, had remained per- 

 fectly still, and the deer saw only To- 

 clan-ny, who was running behind them. 

 They immediately turned and ran up the 

 prairie, straight toward our hill, evidently 

 intending to find a hiding place among the 

 deep ravines. 



A few moments later 3 shots rang out. 

 in the crisp morning air Then another. 

 Naiche and I got our mark at the first 

 volley, and, as I was using a Winchester, 

 while he had a government single shot car- 

 bine, I got the other fellow. 



My 2 " hounds " had done well — far 

 better than the real article could have done 

 under like conditions. I told Naiche they 

 were just like 2 hounds, and to this day 

 they are called by the Chiricahuas, "' the 

 2 hounds." 



INVESTIGATING THE HARVEST. 



She — " Wonderful about these great 



gold-fields in Alaska." 

 He — " Yes; wonderful indeed! " 

 She — " Tell me — do they cut the fields 



with a lawn-mower or a scythe?" 



351 



