264 BISON HUNT. 



tions by placing brushwood before them, forth they 

 set, burdened with as much as they can conveniently 

 carry. Those affluent chiefs and warriors who have 

 horses mount their families, but the greater number 

 of young men necessarily go on foot. 



When arrived within sight of the wild bisons, the 

 tribe proceeds to encamp at the nearest water- course, 

 where they set up their tents and kindle fires, while 

 the hunters who are in advance of the main body 

 make signals in order to give notice to the people. 

 If they see a troop of bisons, they throw up their 

 robes in a peculiar manner, as a sign to halt ; another 

 disposition of the robe intimates the proximity of an 

 enemy; and if one of their party has been killed, 

 two of the survivors communicate the intelligence 

 by running towards each other, and, on passing, one 

 of them casts himself upon the earth. The hunters 

 after making the first signal return as expeditiously 

 as possible, and thanks are offered by each to the 

 Master of Life. " Thank you, Great Spirit, I am 

 poor and hungry, and I want to eat." Criers are 

 then sent out to communicate the joyful news, 

 to tell the people that they must keep their squaws 

 in good heart, that their trials are all over, and that 

 to-morrow they shall have plenty of meat. On the 

 following morning all the men depart early in pur- 

 suit of their favourite game. They are generally 

 mounted, and armed with bows and arrows. The 

 soldiers of the day accompany the rapidly moving 

 cavalcade on foot, armed with war-clubs, and the 

 whole are preceded by an Indian bearing a pipe. 

 Having approached as near the herd as possible, 

 they separate into two bands, who pass at full 



