52 THE ADVENTURES OF 



depend a great deal on ceremonies for 

 ''good luck" in killing game, and the 

 performance of these rites is almost as much 

 of a sight, to a person not accustomed to their 

 ways, as a good circus. As soon as they get 

 as- close to a herd as they dare, they dismount 

 and begin their ceremonies, which consist of 

 an immense amount of foolishness. The white 

 man, when he starts lor a herd goes right up 

 and commences killing, but the Indian must 

 stop and go through the rites that have been 

 handed down to him from time immemor- 

 ial. They get down on their knees 

 and repeat several ceremonies. They talk 

 to the buffalo and tell them not to 

 run away as they will give them some 

 tobacco, of which each Indian buries a small 

 piece in the ground ; they pull their horses' 

 tails, "whisper in their ears, and tie eagle 

 feathers in their tails to make them swift. 

 Frequently they kill a dog and eat it. All 

 this, and a great deal more that I have not time 

 or space to mention, is done that good luck 

 may attend their chase. The ceremonies con- 



