In Buffalo Days 



feathers and heads on their arrows, the hair 

 used to stuff cushions, and later saddles, 

 strands of the long black beard to ornament 

 articles of wearing-apparel and implements 

 of war, such as shields and quivers. The 

 sinews lying along the back gave them 

 thread and bowstrings, and backed their 

 bows. The horns furnished spoons and 

 ladles, and ornamented their war-bonnets. 

 Water-buckets were made from the lining of 

 the paunch. The skin of the hind leg 

 cut off above the pastern, and again a short 

 distance above the hock, was once used for a 

 moccasin or boot. Fly-brushes were made 

 from the skin of the tail dried on sticks. 

 Knife-sheaths, quivers, bow-cases, gun-cov- 

 ers, saddle-cloths, and a hundred other useful 

 and necessary articles, all were furnished by 

 the buffalo. 



The Indians killed some smaller game, as 

 elk, deer, and antelope, but for food their de- 

 pendence was on the buffalo. But before the 

 coming of the whites their knives and arrow- 

 heads were merely sharpened stones, wea- 

 pons which would be inefficient against such 

 great, thick-skinned beasts. Even under the 



181 



