BUFFALO. 39 



fastest horses are soon among the last of the buffalo, but still their 

 riders push forward to try and turn the leaders of the herd, and 

 drive them back into the plain. This they in part accomplish, 

 and soon the bottom is covered with the flying animals. They 

 dash madly along, and the trained horses keep close to the buffalo 

 without any guidance, yet watch constantly for any indication of 

 an intention to charge, and wheel off, if such intention is mani- 

 fested. The Indians discharging arrow after arrow in quick suc- 

 cession, ere long bring down the huge beast, and then turn and 

 ride off after another. 



Ourself and comrades having brought down three or four 

 apiece, come together on a little hill that overlooks the valley and 

 become spectators of the scene. Soon the chase is ended, and 

 the plain is dotted with dark objects over each of which bend two 

 or three Indians busily engaged in securing the meat. Every 

 ounce of this will be saved, and what is not eaten while fresh 

 will be jerked and thus preserved for consumption during the 

 winter. How different would have been the course of a party of 

 white hunters had they the same opportunity. They would have 

 killed as many animals, but would have left all but enough for one 

 day's use to be devoured by the wolves or to rot upon the prairie. 



The Mountain Bison differs in various respects from the Bison 

 of the plain, notably in size. " His legs are shorter and stronger, 

 apparently eminently fitted to his habits, which necessitate consid- 

 erable climbing. 



The animals are not plenty although they are said to have been 

 so once in those happy past days, which are always the favorite 

 theme of the " old residenters," but he is still to be found in the 

 Yellowstone region in considerable numbers. They inhabit for 

 the most part, inaccessible cliffs and the dark defiles of the moun- 

 tains. They are extremely shy, and possess much more intelli- 

 gence in avoiding danger, than their lowland brother. They are 

 incredibly active in scaling or descending precipitous places, and 

 are much more agile than their bulk and clumsy appearance would 

 seem to indicate. There seems to be no good reason for re- 

 garding the Mountain Bison as specifically distinct from the Buf- 

 falo of the plains. The differences seem to be only those which 

 are characteristic of an inhabitant of the woods and hills, as dis- 

 tinguished from a dweller on the plains and lowlands. 



