la iAv oKioON. SEPTEMBER 11, l'o8.
HUNTING
THE
ANTELOPE
BY
THEODORE ROOSEVELT
r mm k 'J
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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,
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MUSSEL'
CONFECTIONERY
Ur&nts I'bsu, Oregon
nn lllirn nan ...... . $
munis PASu i; ihiMi & ntusT co.
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$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. Jj, lh
spring of 1303 I bought a'botilj
Kodoland the bemfit I receirfdali
the gold in Georgia t0nld t,ot b
May you live long aud nrosp,.
iuuib ycrjr nuiy, j. jm. uornell, Boj.
iug, ., ug. -a, moo
Model Drug Stole.
Sold bj
4-8 lit
GRAND OrENINC OF RICH FRUIT
LAND UNDER THE CAREY ACT
15,090 acres of the most fertile land in the State of Idaho
will be thrown open for settlement under the Carey Act on
OCTOBER TWELFTH
This tract is on the south bank
of the Snake River, on the main
line of the Oregon Short Line
Railway, eight miles east of
Glenn's Ferry, a division point
on that road. The choosing of
the land will be under the super
vision of the State Land Board
of Idaho. Location unexcelled,
with the very best transconti
nental transportation, facilities
and closest markets. Climate
uniform; no extreme heat or
cold Lots of sun. Water is
perpetual and a great surplus
provides enough for 50,000 acret
and 10,000 horse power besides.
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. Catalogue free
References: Any bank, any newspaper, any business man in Portland
IRRIGATED
Itest irrigated small farm in Jackson County
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BEN A. LOWELL
IHOODVILLE. - - ORTW