THE BUFFALO. 213 



and attend to the hides. I have seen some surrounds of 

 the Sioux and Pawnees; and were the scene not made pict- 

 uresque by the wigwams, the numerous and almost naked 

 warriors, and excitement of galloping steeds and herds, I 

 should say that it was not so inspiriting or successful as 

 a drive organized by Western hunters arid sportsmen. 



The half-breeds of portions of British America organize 

 regular hunts also, and on such occasions they take all their 

 household effects with them. The women and children are 

 stowed away in rude carts, and the men ride the mustangs 

 which are to play so prominent a part in the chase. As 

 the long cavalcade winds over the grass-clad prairie, made 

 gay with many species of brilliant wild-flowers, it presents 

 an inspiriting sight, and recalls, in a small way, the advance 

 of an army. When it reaches the buffalo-grounds a camp 

 is pitched in a convenient locality, close to wood and water 

 if possible, and, after that is done, the leader takes his men 

 to the leeward of a herd, and distributes them in such a 

 manner that they may be able to drive it toward the en- 

 campment, in order to avoid as much trouble as possible 

 in gathering up the meat. They sometimes place buffalo 

 "chips" in such a manner on the prairie as to make them 

 look like men, and, when the herd sees these, it breaks 

 away from them, and heads perhaps for the camp, where 

 another party of hunters is ready to receive it. When 

 everything is arranged, the men close in gradually on the 

 thousands of shaggy creatures that dot the plain, probably 

 as far as the eye can see, and, on arriving within charging 

 distance, they dash on at the best speed of their horses. 

 Then commences a scene to which no pencil can do full 

 justice. The alarmed throngs, on seeing their foes, break 

 away in wild terror, the cows being generally at the head 

 of the column, owing to their greater fleetness and light- 

 ness, and the calves being next to them, while the burly 

 bulls close the rear and flanks. This terrified host causes 

 the ground to fairly tremble beneath its weight, and the 

 noise of its movements may be heard a long distance off, 

 as it is not unlike the roar of an advancing hurricane. 



