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About Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 11, 1908)
la iAv oKioON. SEPTEMBER 11, l'o8. HUNTING THE ANTELOPE BY THEODORE ROOSEVELT r mm k 'J .W,v , ( K'l.l VI 1 is ! k''i'" iift'l " ' '"on "' "'' ' t'iiH '.V ole I MIW till"".. ii'Hl ' ' ' ; v iit.-h.ii me wiiii tntciie ciM'loili.i" iin I I... 1 . Ii light mill nl a distance, ii : .i i : uiT :il once ns noon us I went Into a hollow r uppciired to ! approaching too near. Twice, In manning the country narrow ly Willi till! glasses, from Im'IiIiiiI n tdiel Tlri(? divide, bands of prong horn ere wu tliut lial not discovered Die. In inch case the horse- was lit once left to graze, while I started off after the (nine, nearly a mile distant. For the Brst half mile I could walk upright or fo along tin If stooping; then, ax the distance grow cloner, I had to crawl on ill fount a ml keep behind any little broken bank, or take advantage, of a small, dry wnterroiirHe; ami toward the pud work my way flat on my face, wriggling like a serpent, using every tunted sagebrush or patch of cactui an a cover, bareheaded under the blaz ing Bini. In each cam-, after nearly an hour's lrkxome, thirsty work, the Htulk failed. One band Dimply ran off with out a second's warning, alarmed at some awkward movement on my part, and without giving a chance for a allot In the other Instance, while Ht 111 at rcry long and uncertain range, I heard the oii.u,! ulariu-noie ol of the prong-horn; the whole band Ii. atantiy raising their heads and gnzin. Intently ut their would-be destroyer They were a very long way off; bu seeing It was hopeless to try to ge; nearer I rested my rltle over a little mound of earth and tired. The dusi ciimo up in a puff to one side of tin nearest antelope; the whole band loo!, a few Jumps and turned again; fir "croud shot struck nt tliclr feet, a: ' they went off like so many race-horses being missed again as they ran. I s:i up by a sage-brush thinking the would of course not come back, wh" to my surprise I saw them whci round with the precision of a cavnl squadron, all in line and fronting m the while and brown markings on the. heads and throats Knowing like tin facings on soldiers' uniforms; and tliei hark I hey came charging up till ag.i! within long range, when they wheeli" their line as If on a pivot and on i more made off, this time for good, noi heeding an Ineffectual fusillade fro't the Winchester. Antelope often go through a series of regular evolutions, like ho mmr trained horsemen, wl ling, turnlni halting, anil running as If under com mand; and their coming back to ngnln run the (as It proved very harmles gauntlet of my tire was due either I curiosity or to one of those panlck freaks which occasionally seize thor ordinarily wary animals, and caus. them to run Into danger easily avoid e4 by creatures commonly much more readily approached than they are. I had fired half a dozen shots without effect; but while no one ever gets vcr his feeling of self Indigna tion at missing an easy shot at close quarters, any one who hunts antelope and Is not of a disposition so timid as never to take chances, soon learns that he has to expect to expend a good deal of powder and lead before bag ging his game. a drv creek ' and followed up Its course for a mile or so, till a small spot or green in me side of a bank showed the presence of water, a little pool of which lay under neath. The ground was so rotten that It was with difficulty I could get Manl tou down where he could drink; but at last tioth of us satisfied our thirst, and he was turned loose to graze, with his saddle off. so as to col his back, Try - Our - New SPECIALS CanteloupeSundae Watermelon'Special Watermelon Ice Cream Soda BiglBill Tafts Rainbow Specials Remember wo lmvc a $r00 guarantee on our Ico Cream, for purity. MUSSEL' CONFECTIONERY Ur&nts I'bsu, Oregon nn lllirn nan ...... . $ munis PASu i; ihiMi & ntusT co. Capital Stock $75,000 J. T. TUFFS, PRESIDENT, E. P. DIXON, VICE-PRES., G. P. JESTER, ASST. CASHIER The Rogue River Nurseries Are rtronj; on TOKAY GRAPES, having about 250,000 fancy cuttings that are rootiug nicely in the reikiost of lands. 'o are ready to contract for fall delivery at prices Ibat will surprise you. We are as well prepared to fur nish you with anything in line of trees and general nursery stock. Conklin Building Grants Pass Or. Only by f ninth- nficyi md ounderlny ue munnyed to get over. ! and I, after eating a biscuit, lay on my I face on the ground there was no 1 shade of any sort near and dozed un til a couple of hours" rest and feed had put the horse In good trim for the afternoon, ride. When It came to crossing over the dry creek on whose bank we had rested, we almost went down in a quicksand, and It was only by frantic struggles and flounderlngs that we managed to get over. On account of these quicksands and , mud-holes, crossing the creeks on the : prairie Is often very disagreeable work. Even when apparently perfectly dry the bottom may have merely a thin crust of hard mud and unilernenth a fathomless bed of slime. If the grass appears wet and with here and there a i few tussocks of taller blades In It, It Is well to avoid It. Often a man may have to go along a creek nearly a mile before lie can find a safe crossing, or else run the risk of seeing his horse mired hard and fust. When a horse is once In a mud-hole it will perhaps so exhaust itself by its tirst desperate and fruitless struggV that It Is almost Impossible to get It out. Its bridle and saddle have to lie taken olT; if another horse Is along the lariat is drawn from the pommel of the hitter's saddle to the net',, of the one that Is In, and It Is hauled out by uiiilu force. Otherwise a man may have to work half a day, fixing the horse's legs In tile right position aii,l thru taking it by I the forelock and endeavoring to get it to make a plunge; cadi plunge bring I lug it perhaps a few inches nearer the firm ground. Quicksands are even ! more dangerous than these mini -holes, as. If at all deep, a creature that cun ! Uot get out immediately is sure to be speedily engulfed. Many parts of the ,Llttle Missouri are impassable on ac i count of these quicksands. Always in I crossing unknown ground that looks ! dangerous It is best to feel your way I very cautiously along and, If possible, to find out some cattle trull or even game trail which can be followed. For some time after leaving the , creek nothing was seen, until, on com , lug over the crest of the next great divide, I came In sight of a baud of , six or eight prong horn about a quar- ter of a mile off to my right baud. There was a slight breeze from the southeast, which blow diagonally ' across m." path towards the antelopes. ! The latter, after stiirlng ut me a mln I ute, as 1 rode slowly on, suddeuly started at full speed to run directly up wind, and therefore lu a direction that would cut the line of my course less than half a mile ahead of where 1 was. Knowing that when antelope begin running In a straight line they are very hard to turn, ami seeing that they would have t run a longer dis tance than my horse would to Inter cept them, 1 clapped spurs Into Maui- i , ton, and the game old fellow, a very ' fleet runner. sirruUrd himself down I to the ground and sccunM to go almost ! as f.i-t as the qti.irrv . As 1 had el- peeled, the latter, when they saw me : rummig. merely straightened them- ! selves out and went on, possibly even fabler than befmv. without changing ! me line of their tilght. keeping right up wind. Hotli horse uud antelope fair'.v Hew over the ground, their courses being at an untie that would certainly bring them together. Two ! of the autelope led. by some fifty , arils or so. the others, who were all I 1 hunched together. Nearer and nearer j we came. Matiltou, in spite of carrying ! ' TllVKtf Mn.l th. n...L. V.. .1.1.. 4 ... - ...... ... uun nv l'll. IIUIUll me SaU die, gamely holding his own. while the antelope. '"h outstretcueo ue went at an even, regular gait that nfTered a strong contrast to the spring ing bounds with which a deer run. At last the two leading animals crossed the line of my flight ahead of me; when I pulled abort up. leaped from Manltou's back, and blazed Into the band as they 'went by not forty yards off, aiming well ahead of a fine buck who was on the side nearest me. An antelope's gnlt Is so even that It offers a g'od running murk: and as the smoke blew off I saw the buck roll over like a rabbit, with both Bhoulders broken. I then emptied the Winchester at the rest of the band, breaking one hind leg of a young buck. Hastily cut ting the throat of, and opening, the lead buck, I again mounted and start ed off after the wounded one. But. though only on three legs, It went as tonishingly fast, having had n good start: and after following it over a in He I gave up the pursuit, though 1 had gained a good deal: for the heat was very great, and I did not deem It well to tire the horse nt the beginning nf the trip. Upturning to the carcass, I cut off the hams and strung them be side the saddle; an antelope Is so spare that there Is very little ninre meat on the body. This trie!: of running In a straight line Is another of the antelope's pecul iar characteristics which frequently lead it into danger. Although with so much sharper eyes than a deer, ante- ! loie are In many ways far stupider nnlmiils. more like sheep, and they especially resemble the latter In their habit of following a leader, and in their foolish obstinacy in keeping to a course they hnve once adopted. If . a horseman starts to head off a deer the latter will always turn long be- . fore he has come within range. bit quite often un antelope will merely In crease his speed and try to pass ahead of his foe. Almost always, however, one If alone will keep out of gunshot, j owing to the speed at which he goes, 1 but If there are several In a band which is well strung out, the leader only cares for his own safety and passes well ahead himself. The oth- ers follow like sheep, without turning In the least from the line the first fol lowed, and thus may pass within close range. If the lender bounds Into the : air, those following will often go through exactly the same motions; and If he turns, the others ure very apt to each in succession run up and turn in the same place, unless the whole band are manoeuvring together, like a . squadron of cavalry under orders, as : has already been spoken of. After securing the buck's bams and bend (the latter for the sake of the horns, which were unusually long and ; fine), I pushed rapidly on without stop-; ping to bunt, to reach some large creek which should contalu both wood and water, for even In summer a fire adds greatly to the comfort and cosiness of a night camp. When the sun had nearly set we went over a divide and came In sight of a creek fulfilling the ..,,.M.ft talk, not being able to pome within rifle rnnre; but towards evening, when only almnt a mile from a wooded creek on whose banks I ln tend'Hl to sleep. I came across a soli tary buck. Just ns I was topping the ridge of the Inst divide. As I was keeping a sharp lookout at the time. I reined In the horse the In stant the head of the antelope came In sight, and Jumping off crept up till I could see his whole body, when I drop ped on my knee and took steady aim. lie was a long wnv off (three hundred yards b- actual pacing), and not hav ing rnnde out exactly what we were he stood still, looking Intently in our direction and broadside to ns. I held well over bis shoulder, and at the re port he dropped like a shot, the ball having broken his neck. It was a very good shot; the best I ever made nt antelope, of which game, as already said. I have killed but very few In dividuals. Taking the hnms and sad dle I rode on down to the creek and ngnln went Into camp among timber. Thus on this trip I was never sue cessful In outwitting antelope on the several occasions when I pitted my craft and skill ngnlnst their wnrlnesi and keen souses, always either failing to get within rnnee or else missing them: but lvvertheless I got two b- Inklnir ailv !-" of the stupHit- nnd curloi-i'e wiite'i thov occasion"'' Round Trip TlcU... From Grn8 Pa8g .will be toy y followa : Oregon State Fair, fair Qnta. Oregon, September 13th to 19th Paoiflo National F.i, a Show. Portland R., Te"4 , , oytcmoflj J,. . Sflth. 111.95. Buffalo Bills Wildlb Show, Medford, September 28th, i ? Jackson and Josephine Dint,: '. ' Medford, October 2, and 8d, n' On the certificate plan aa loft. conference M. E. Chorch, 8sl September 23d to 28th, $9.8o' For fall information cail R. K. MONTGOMERY, . Ageta. Malleable Steel rangeg sold on,- Go's. "E. O. DaWitt &Co chlca. t -Gentlemen-In 1897 IhadadiM of the stomach and bowtls. 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Soil is a volcanic ash, decom posed lava and vegetable mculd. None better for fruits, alfalfa and sugar beats. REDUCED RAILROAD RATES Send for Booklets and Information, to either address. KINGS HILL IRRIGATION & POWER CO. MAIN OFFICE, BOISE, IDAHO B. S. COOK &, CO., OREGON AGENTS CORBETT BLDG., PORTLAND. OREGON BUSINESS COLLEGE WASHINGTON AND TENTH STREETS PORTLAND. OREGON WRITE FOR CATALOG in a Good Position r&Sf f Cft ! I School that Places Ton sw i v j A good soliool-noue better. Will established reuutatiou. Succjefnl liraduiW ! Skillful painstaking tach-rs. Living expenses low. Many other advantag L?t as tell yoa about thmu. Write for cotaloKQM. ALEM, OREGON W. I. STALEY, Principal Xearcr tnul m-ttrvr ht mmc. required conditions. It wound its way through a valley of rich bottom laud, cotton-wood trees of no j;reat height or nlze urowiiitf In thick jjroves along Its banks, while its bed contained many deep ools of water, some of It fresh and good. 1 rode into a great betid, with n grove of trees on Its rigln nuu containing excellent feed. Manl tou was loosed, with the lariat round his neck, to feed where he wished until I wont to bed, when he was to be taken to n place where the grass was thick aud succulent, mid tethered out for the night. There was any amount of wood with which a fire was started for cheerfulness, and some of the coals were so,m raked off apart to cook over. The horse blanket was spread on the ground with the oil skin over it as a bed. underneath a spreading cotton-wood tree, while the regular blanket served as covering. The metal cup was soon filled with water and simmering over the coals to make tea. while an nntelone stenV roasting on a forked stick. Breaking camp is a simple operation for one man; aud but a few mlnntes after breakfast Manitou and I were off. 1 bended the horse towards the more rolling country where the prairies begin to break off Into the edges of uie nau i.an.is. Several bands of an teiotv. wre seen, and : tried one un- "THE SCHOOL OF QUALITY' Tenth and Morrison, Portland, Oregon A. P. Armstrong, LL.B., Principal CWe occupy two floors 65 by 100 feet, have a $20,000 equipment, employ a large faculty, give individual instruction, receive more call for office help than we can meet Our school admittedly leads all others in quality of instruction. It pays to attend such an institution. CSaid Business Man: "Keep hammering away everlastingly on thorongb work. It will win out in the end." Said au Educator! "The quality of instrno tiou given in your school makes it the standard of its kind in the Northwest" C.0pen all the year. Students admitted at any time. 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