THE SPRING AND FALL HUNT. 45 



go themselves engage half-breeds to hunt for them. 

 These expeditions now assume very large proportions. 

 The number of hunters frequently exceeds 500, and 

 they are accompanied by the women and children, 

 to prepare the meat. The number of carts often 

 reaches 1,500 or 1,600. When the buffalo are found, the 

 horsemen are formed into line, and ride up as close as 

 possible before the herd takes flight at full speed. 

 Then the captain gives the word, and all charge, 

 as hard as horses can gallop, into the middle of 

 the herd. The fattest beasts are singled out and shot 

 down, and often more than 1,000 carcases strew the 

 ground. 



We spent three weeks at Fort Grarry very pleasantly. 

 The weather was beautifully bright and fine, without 

 a cloud in the sky, and although intensely hot, we 

 enjoyed our lazy life thoroughly for a time. 



The Bishop, Dr. Anderson, showed us great kind- 

 ness and hospitality, and the Governor of Eed Eiver, 

 Mr. M'Tavish, afforded us every assistance in fitting 

 out our expedition. The only drawback to our com- 

 fort was the presence of armies of mosquitoes and 

 sand-flies, which attacked us every night. In order 

 to get any sleep, we were compelled to smoke out our 

 tent before turning in. This we effected by cutting a 

 hole in the ground at one end, and lighting a small 

 fire in the bottom, which we covered up with sods and 

 earth when it was well alight. The fire generally 

 continued to smoulder and smoke until morning, but 

 it frequently acted so effectually that we were awakened 

 in the night by a sense of suffocation, and were 



