AN ARTICLE BY GEO. T. 1JASURY
IHere are two species of antelope, one the ordinary kind found in the
desert and the other the camel-back or Side-hill Antelope of the Northwest.
This latter is the more interesting of the two as Mature has endowed it with
several peculiar features unkown to its more common southern representative#
,Their haunts lie amid a wilderness of peaks and ridges, marked in sum
mer with scattered glaciers and banks of eternal snow and in winter exposed
td all Hie rigors of the severe Arctic climate# They range along the steep
side of the mountains which border the Arctic Coast, south thru the interior
to the rugged cliff3 on the Kenai Peninsula and eastward to the jagged crags
which bound the Mackenzie River. ■
Living as they do,under severe climatic conditions, . has developed an
extraordinary method of grazing. As soon as moss and grass has appeared in
the spring on the upper ridges of the mountains, the Sid-Hill Antelope devel
opes an avid appetite and grazes for weeks at a tine, never lifting its eyes
or head and only moving ahead a step to feed as it consumes everything witfeQ
in reach# Its progress is so slow- that it seems immobile. As it always
faces to the right to feed this immobilit}' has caused its left or downhill
legs tc grow long while its uphill legs have grown short* this giving it
a very peculiar appearance which is very necessary to keep it upright on
the steep slopes. To walk on the level it kneels with its left legs and,
walking on its knees with these and on its feet on the right side, main
tains a slow but level gait#
As soon as it commences to feed in the spring, a layer of tallow com
mences to grow on its back. This layer is formed over the entire top of
the back from between the shoulders to the rump. By late fall this ''back
fat" has grown to such an extent that it resembles the large, wobbly hump
of the camel, hence its other name— "Camel-back" Antelope. This hump is
gradually absorbed during the long winter months and has totally disap
peared by spring.
This hump is highly prized by the natives, who hunt the animal by
climbing above where it is feeding, then running downward toward its head,
confusing it so that it turns aroun i, thus getting its left or long legs
uphill and its short ones do\7n, so making it unable to run. If, however,
the hunter miscalculates and does not turn it around, it leaves the vicin
ity at a rapid run.
The female bears a single elf as t* rule, but occasionally it has but
one.
Owing to its frequenting remote and sparsely inhabited country, it
continues to exist in large numbers, but if its ranges become more acces
sible only the most stringent protection can save this animal from exter
mination already accomplished upon its southern representative.
THIS TILE LaST YEAR;
Major George C» Lonaj_^g0n jU3+ received orders to return J
to the U.3 • J
The inter-post rifle team, consisting of Colburn, Klitza,
Dunbar, Hargraves, Hogwood, Rudy, Manderson,• Bagley, Russell, Skinner,
Behrens, Smith, Eoftin, Thatcher, Harney, Martin and Schumaker, were
pegging away each day training for the match with Anchorage.
The Kooties had won a basketball game from Skagway-42-7.
T70 YEARS AGO THIS WEEK; A Sis. Ratrick1 s day dance was given in the
gym, the dance committee including Cantrell, Morris,Osborn, Rainey « Le
berman. Announcement was made of abandonment of Fts. Liscura, Gibbon and
St. Michael.