Page:Don Coronado through Kansas.djvu/300

A MA"" AND DEER FIGHT 283 dered creature.-bufc making aJlowance for the circling. This is kept up for several hours; aU the time the poor thing is losing courage and strength, untU about one hour after high noon our two men get together and conclude it is time to make the final dash, which is done, and they have the deer at bay. The next thing is to kUl it, for it is no easy task to catch a two- thirds matured deer, yet more a strong, vigorous one, for their front feet strike like sharp-pointed steel, and so powerful are they that if a man does not use care or is not exceptionally strong he wUl surely get the worst of it. So it is arranged that one shall pre- tend to be trying to catch it by the horns, which also are bad things to contend with; but while the one is getting the attention in front, the other is to grab the hind legs and pull them ofE the ground; the plan suc- ceeds, and they have the collar or trophy. They are about eight miles from home, but the two men are fresh and game as if only just started out, and they must hasten so as to be first and thus get the prize. While they are running toward home, a few hnes will be devoted to a known incident in Jackson county, Kansas, twenty-five years ago. There was about four inches of snow on the ground; a farmer going toward home in his lumber wagon observed a deer coming across a field toward him. He got out of his wagon, having in mind he might succeed in getting hold of the animal; the deer jumped one fence and then crossed the road, and in jumping a wide ditch failed to light on the opposite bank, which beiag slippery caused it to slide to the bottom of the washout. Our farinor tlien jumped on the deer, and the struggle