Out of Doors--California and Oregon | Page 6

us to it,
watered and started back to their feeding ground, passing us in easy
range. We shot at them, but without effect. The wind blew so hard that
accurate shooting was an impossibility. We went back to camp. Not far
from it we found quite a hole under the bank, which the winter waters
had burrowed out. It afforded shelter enough from the wind, which was
still blowing, to allow us to build a fire of dry sage brush. We then
prepared a good, warm meal, which we at with great relish. By 1
o'clock in the afternoon the wind began to abate, and it died away
almost as suddenly as it came up. It left the atmosphere dry and full of
dust.
Great Sight.
We heard nothing from the man who had gone after the horses. About 3
o'clock Chauvin said he was going to get an antelope or know why. He
argued that they would be coming to water soon. He told me to remain
near the camp. He went up the stream, intending to get above the point
at which the animals usually watered. He had been gone about an hour,
when I saw the dust rise toward the east--such a dust as a drove of
sheep in motion makes. Pretty soon the advance guard of the largest
band of antelope I ever saw, or ever hope to see again, appeared in
sight. As they scented our camp, what a sight they made! There they
stood, out of range, looking to the point where their keen noses notified

them that danger lurked. Then they would wheel and run, stop and look
again. The white spots on their rumps shone in the sunlight like
burnished silver.
They would stop, look awhile and again wheel and run. Suspicious and
anxious they stood, heads up and nostrils dilated, sides heaving. They
made a beautiful picture of excited and alarmed curiosity. Several times
they advanced, and then fell back. Finally they whirled away and
headed up stream. In a few minutes I heard the report of Chauvin's rifle,
followed a little later by another shot. Then the whole band appeared in
wild disorder, running as only frightened antelopes can run, in the
direction from which they came. Shortly afterwards I saw Chauvin on a
little knoll. I waved my arms. He saw me, took off his hat and
beckoned for me to join him. Off I put, as fast as my legs could carry
me. When I got to him, I found he had killed two antelope bucks. They
lay within 400 yards of each other. He had already cut their throats.
Maybe you think we were not happy! We drew the animals. Chauvin
was an old man, compactly built, but very strong. He helped me
shoulder the smaller of the bucks, and then he, with the greatest ease,
picked up the other one, and we trudged to camp. We hung our game
up on a couple of stunted stumps and skinned them. Then we prepared
supper. We cooked potatoes and rice, made coffee, and cornbread, and
fried the antelope livers with bacon. Just as our meal was ready, our
roustabout came into camp, riding one of the horses barebacked, with
only a halter and leading the other two. He had had his hat blown away
and was bareheaded. He was nearly frozen, having started off in the
morning without his coat.
Horses Recovered.
He trailed the horses, which were traveling before the wind, for twelve
miles. Fortunately at a point on the south side of the valley, they
entered a ravine, in which there was plenty of bunch grass. Here,
sheltered from the wind, they fed up the ravine a mile or so, where he
found them lying down in a sheltered spot near a water hole. He had
had nothing to eat since leaving us. Coming back he faced the wind
until it died away. Riding a horse bareback, with a halter for a bridle,
and leading two other horses, you can well imagine was no picnic. We
tied the animals to some willow stumps, so there was no danger of their
getting loose, and gave them a feed of barley. By this time the

roustabout was thawed out by our fire, and we had supper.
As we had all the antelope we wanted, we made our plans for the next
day. Chauvin knew the country thoroughly. He proposed that the next
morning we go to where the horses had been found, and proceed up
that canyon onto the Liebre ranch to a camping spot he knew of. He
was certain we would find deer there. At peace with the world, we went
to bed that night well fed and contented. Next morning we had antelope
steak, right out of