atures by merely lying down on
their backs and kicking their heels in the air, or by waving any white
object on the point of an arrow, while the hunter keeps concealed by
lying flat in the grass. By these means a herd of antelopes may be
induced to wheel round and round an object in timid, but intense,
surprise, gradually approaching until they come near enough to enable
the hunter to make sure of his mark. Thus the animals, which of all
others _ought_ to be the most difficult to slay, are, in consequence of
their insatiable curiosity, more easily shot than any other deer of the
plains.

May we not gently suggest to the reader for his or her consideration
that there are human antelopes, so to speak, whose case bears a striking
resemblance to the prong-horn of the North American prairie?

Dick's horse was no match for the antelope; neither was Crusoe, so they
pulled up shortly and returned to their companions to be laughed at.

"It's no manner o' use to wind yer horse, lad, after sich game. They're
not much worth, an', if I mistake not, we'll be among the buffalo soon.
There's fresh tracks everywhere, and the herds are scattered now. Ye
see, when they keep together in bands o' thousands ye don't so often
fall in wi' them. But when they scatters about in twos, an' threes, an
sixes, ye may shoot them every day as much as ye please."

Several groups of buffalo had already been seen on the horizon; but as a
red-deer had been shot in a belt of woodland the day before, they did
not pursue them. The red-deer is very much larger than the prong-horned
antelope, and is highly esteemed both for its flesh and its skin, which
latter becomes almost like chamois leather when dressed.
Notwithstanding this supply of food, the hunters could not resist the
temptation to give chase to a herd of about nine buffaloes that suddenly
came into view as they overtopped an undulation in the plain.

"It's no use," cried Dick, "I _must_ go at them!"

Joe himself caught fire from the spirit of his young friend, so calling
to Henri to come on and let the pack-horse remain to feed, he dashed
away in pursuit. The buffaloes gave one stare of surprise, and then
fled as fast as possible. At first it seemed as if such huge, unwieldy
carcases could not run very fast; but in a few minutes they managed to
get up a pace that put the horses to their mettle. Indeed, at first it
seemed as if the hunters did not gain an inch, but by degrees they
close