horsemen, who have to manoeuvre round the herd in the plains so as
to urge them to enter the roadway, which is about a quarter of a mile
broad. When this has been accomplished, they raise loud shouts,
and, pressing close upon the animals, so terrify them that they rush
heedlessly forward towards the snare. When they have advanced
as far as the men who are lying in ambush, they also rise, and increase
the consternation by violent shouting and firing guns. The
affrighted beasts having no alternative, run directly to the pound,
where they are quickly despatched, either with an arrow or gun.
There was a tree in the centre of the pound, on which the Indians
had hung strips of buffalo flesh, and pieces of cloth as tributary or
grateful offerings to the Great Master of Life ; and we were told
that they occasionally place a man in the tree to sing to the presiding
spirit as the buffaloes are advancing, who must keep his station
until the whole that have entered are killed. This species of hunting
is very similar to that of taking elephants on the Island of
Ceylon, but upon a smaller scale.
' The Créés complained to us of the audacity of a party of Stone
Indians, who, two nights before, had stripped their revered tree of
many of its offerings, and had injured their pound by setting their
stakes out of the proper places.
Other modes of killing the buffalo are practised by the Indians
with success ; of these the hunting them on horseback requires most
dexterity. An expert hunter, when well mounted, dashes at the
herd, and chooses an individual which he endeavours to separate
from the rest. If he succeeds, he contrives to keep him apart by the
proper management of his horse, though going at full speed. Whenever
he can get sufficiently near for a ball to penetrate the beast’s
hide, he fires, and seldom fails of bringing the animal down ; though
of course he cannot rest the piece against the shoulder, nor take a
deliberate aim. On this service the hunter is often exposed to considerable
danger, from the fall of his horse in the numerous holes
Q