588 UNGULATA. 



ward and forced into IIk- i^ull' liclow. Many liuiidrcd of liisons arc thus 

 destroyed in the space ol a lew nuiuucs. 



A much fairer and more s[)(jrtsmanhkc method of lumtiny these 

 animals is practised by red and white men, and consists in chasing the 

 hertis of Bisons and shootinij tiiem while at fidl speed. This sport 

 recpiires good horsemanship, a trained steed, and a knowledge ol the 

 habits of the Bisons, as well as a true eye and steady hand. The hunter 

 marks a single individual in the herd, and fjy skilful riding contrives to 

 separate it from its companions, lie llun rides boldly alongside the 

 flying animal, and shoots it from the saddle. In this method of shooting, 

 the hunter requires no ramrod, as he contents himself with [louring some 

 loose powder into the barri'l, dropping a bulk-t Irom his moulli upon 

 the powder, and liring across the saddle without even lifting the weapon 

 to his shoulder. The Indians are very expert in this sport, and, furnished 

 only with their bows and arrows, will do a good day's work. 



"The difficulty in this style of lumting," to c[U(jte again from Cieneral 

 Dodge, "is the cloud of dust which prevents very careful aim the ex- 

 plosion of the pistol creates such confusion among the flying hc-rd, that 

 it IS impossible to shoot at any individual buffalo more than once. The 

 danger arises not from the buffalo, but Iron) the fact that neither man 

 nor liorse can see the ground which ma\' be rtnigh or perlorated with 

 prairie-dog or gopher-holes." 



Such slaughter, however, made liltk' or no impression on the num- 

 bers of buffalo. Unfortunately, in 1872, it was discovered that their hides 

 were merchantable; buflalo-luuiting became an organized trade. The 

 slaughter would seem incretlible, but the figures are taken from olllcial 

 sources. In 1872, buffalo were around Fort Dodge in such numbers as 

 to interfere with other game, and sportsmen paid no hceil to them. " In 

 1873, where there were myriads of buffalo the year before, there were 

 now myriads of carcases. The vast ])lain which a short twelvemonth 

 before was teeming with animal life was a dead, solitary, ])utrid desert." 

 in 1874, General Dodge remaiks that there were more hunters than 

 buffalo. The hunting-partii-s engaged in this occupatit)n consist of four 

 men — one shooter, two skiimers, and a cook. One shooter, from one 

 S|)ot, in less than three-quarters of an houi', killed one hundred antl 

 twelve buffalo within a radius of two hundred yards. During the three 

 years for which General Dodge gives statistics — 1872, 1873, 1874 — there 

 were 1,378,350 hides sent to market, representing a slaughter of 3,158,730 



