Exploration of the Red River of Louisiana, in the year 1852 / by Randolph B. Marcy ; assisted by George B. McClellan. Page: 78 of 368

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ANTELOPES AND DEER.

CHAPTER VII.
ANTELOPE AND DEER-WITCHITA MOUNTAINS IN SIGHT-REACIHSUFFALO CREEKTALLEY
OF OTTER CREEK-SALUBRITY OF CLIMATE-DEER BLEAT-HORSE
FLIES-SCURVEY-WITCHITA MOUNTAINS--PASS THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS--UFFALO
SEEN.
July 8.-Our train was again in motion at 2 o'clock this morning,
and our road led us over very elevated table lands, near the dividing
ridge of the two branches of the river, where the country is totally
destitute of wood or water, and altogether devoid of interest until
reaching this place, where we find a few small ponds of wretched water
and a clump of trees.
In addition to four deer and two antelopes that have been killed by
our party to-day, our greyhounds have contributed another deer to our
larder.
We have had several good opportunities since we have been upon
the plains of witnessing the relative speed of the different animals found
here, and our observations have confirmed the opinion I have before
advanced. For example, the greyhounds have, upon several different
occasions, run down and captured the deer and the prairie rabbits, which
are also considered very fleet; but although they have had very many
races with the antelope under favorable circumstances, yet they have
never, in one instance, been able to overtake them; on the contrary, the
longer the chase has continued, the greater has been the distance between
them. The Cervus Virginianus (our red deer) has generally been
considered the fleetest animal upon the continent after the horse, but
the Antilocapra Americana, or prong-horned antelope of the plains, is
very much swifter.
One of our hunters, who has been in advance of our camp, says he
obtained a distant view of Witchita mountains, and that he has also
discovered several telegraphic smokes in a northeasterly direction.
July 9.-Getting under way at 2 o'clock this morning, we journeyed
over the elevated prairie in a northeast course towards the dividing
ridge, and on coming upon the crest of this elevation, some of the most
lofty peaks at the western extremity of the Witchita chain of mountains
showed themselves in the distance, like smoky clouds against the background
of the murky sky near the horizon. Crossing over the ridge,
we made for the head of a creek, where we expected to find good water,
but upon reaching it we found the gypsum rocks, and, as usual, the