HUNTING THE BISON. 93 



tree 10 sing to the presiding Spirit as the buffaloes ar* advancing, 

 who must keep his station until the whole that have entered are 

 killed." 



The same author further proceeds as follows ; " Other modes 

 of killing the buffalo are practised by the Indians with success ; 

 of these, the hunting them on horseback requires most dexterity. 

 An expert hunter, when well mounted, dashes at the herd, and 

 chooses an individual which he endeavors to separate from the rest. 

 If he succeeds, he contrives to keep him apart by the proper man- 

 agement of his horse, though going at full speed. Whenever he 

 can get sufficiently near for a ball to penetrate the beast's hide he 

 fires, and seldom fails of bringing the animal down ; though, of 

 course, he cannot rest the piece against the shoulder, nor take a 

 deliberate aim. On this service the hunter is often exposed to 

 considerable danger from the fall of his horse in the numerous 

 holes which the badgers make in these plains, and also from the 

 rage of the buffalo, which, when closely pressed, often turns sud 

 denly, and, rushing furiously on the horse, frequently succeeds in 

 wounding it, or dismounting the rider. Whenever the animal 

 shows this disposition, which the experienced hunter will readily 

 perceive, he immediately pulls up his horse and goes off in another 

 direction." The reader will find some animated descriptions of 

 such encounters in " The Tour on the Prairies," before alluded to. 



11 When the buffaloes are on their guard," as Captain Franklin 

 observes, " horses cannot be used in approaching them ; but the 

 hunter dismounts at some distance and crawls in the snow towards 

 the herd, pushing his gun before him. If the buffaloes happen 

 to look towards him he stops, and keeps quite motionless, until 

 their eyes are turned in another direction ; by this cautious pro- 

 ceeding a skilful person will get so near as to be able to kill two 

 or three out of the herd. It will easily be imagine J this service 

 cannot be very agreeable when the thermometer stands 30 or 40 

 below zero, as sometimes happens in this country." 



This chase of the bison is not unattended with danger, " for," 

 ays Catesby, "when wounded they are very furious, which 



