i6S 



RECREATION. 



across the valley, and a little higher up 

 on the butte stood number 30. Just 

 then the latter spread its wings and 

 sailed off — a big old golden eagle. 

 Number 29 was a sure enough ante- 

 lope. She stood gazing at us until the 

 eagle sailed near her. Then, to my 

 surprise, she ran at him, jumped high 

 and struck viciously with her foreleg. 

 I had never^seen such- a sight before, 

 so rode toward the spot and watched 

 her chase the eagle as he circled, strik- 

 ing at him whenever he came low. 

 When she struck, the bird sailed high- 

 er and circled, never going far away. 



It flashed on me that the eagle 

 wanted fawn for supper.' I ran my 

 horse toward the fight, and when 200 

 yards away a fawn raised his head 

 above the grass. When he saw me 

 he tried to jump up, but floundered 

 so I knew his back was hurt. I was 

 within 50 yards when the eagle made 

 a last swoop at the fawn, but the 

 brave doe got there first, jumped at 

 him and chased him away. 



The poor little fawn tried hard to 

 get up and run, but his back was hurt 

 too badly. When I picked him up he 

 cried like a baby, the most piteous 

 bleat, and the doe ran to within 20 

 yards of us. The eagle heard the 

 fawn cry and sailed within easy shot 

 gun range, but the brave little mother 

 chased him again. 



An antelope fawn has eyes so soft 

 and pitiful that they and that appeal- 



ing bleat will make a man go hungry 

 a long time before killing one of 

 those prairie babies. 



I found the claws of the eagle had 

 lacerated the little fellow's back so 

 wickedly, and especially just over the 

 kidneys, that it would be well nigh 

 impossible to save his life. It was 

 during the hot weather, and the kid 

 being so young and having so little 

 vitality, inflammation would be sure 

 to set in. I therefore adopted the 

 only human remedy and put him out 

 of his misery as quickly as possible. 



As we rode away the poor old doe 

 followed us nearly to the ranch. 

 Then she stood on a hill until we en- 

 tered the corral. I would gladly 

 have restored her young to her, safe 

 and sound if possible, and would have 

 saved her from any such contest with 

 possible enemies in the future if she 

 could have trusted me ; but her fear 

 of her ancient enemy, man, was too 

 great to permit her to go home 

 with us. 



If some of the 2 legged brutes who 

 are so fond of slaughtering wild ani- 

 mals could have seen that timid, gen- 

 tle mother battle with the eagle in de- 

 fense of her young as we saw it, their 

 hearts would certainly have been soft- 

 ened even though inured to acts of 

 butchery, and thus they might be 

 more temperate in their use of lead 

 when next they started a bunch of 

 antelope. 



