WESTERN INCIDENTS.

ber his carbine and bring it to bear before I was quite
prepared, and consequently obtained the first shot, upon
which the animal, evidently aroused from a quiet sleep,
quickly arose to its feet, and looked toward us for an ex-
planation.

Seeing my advantage, and having observed that the
General’s ball struck the ground some distance short of
the antelope, I concluded that the distance was too
great for a point blank range, and therefore decided to
fire upon the ricochet principle, which proved entirely
successful. The animal fell instantly, and when we
reached the spot was almost lifeless from loss of blood,
caused by the passage of the ball through the neck, and
severing the carotid artery. Mr. Williams, although
evidently entertaining some doubts as to the legitimacy
of the shot, manifested great delight at the result; and,
without intending any disrespect to General Dodge,
whose reputation for skill in bagging much larger game
had become so well established during the late war, im-
mediately pronounced me the huntist of the party, and
awarded me the beautiful skin as an additional trophy.
Our commissary, McLain, on coming up soon afterward,
hung the antelope upon the elk-horns at the rear of the
wagon, and thus followed us triumphantly into Laporte,
where we arrived at eleven A. M.

END OF THE MOUNTAIN EXCURSION.

Thus ended the equestrian part of our excursion. The
exercise had been long and somewhat severe ; but the
natural as well as professional interest which Mr. Wil-
liams and myself had taken in the features of the country
(150 miles of which we had traversed on horseback dur-
ing the past six days), together with, to us, the unusual