THE BISON, OR BUFFALO. 265 



It is usual during these marches to stop every two 

 leagues, unload the horses, and let them rest and 

 feed for half an hour. 



After the second halt, the hunters of the tribe 

 (that is to sa)% the youngest and the most skilful) 

 separated themselves from the tribe and dispersed 

 themselves over the prairies, searching everywhere 

 for game with as much sagacity as a dog regu- 

 larly trained for sport. "When the Red Skins 

 hunt in this manner, they dash into the midst 

 of the most likely coverts, and when they put up a 

 deer or anything else, if the creature escapes the 

 first shot, he never goes far without meeting with 

 another Indian more fortunate or more skilful. 



When snow is on the ground the Sioux proceed 

 in a different manner. One of them follows up the 

 traces of a deer until he has found the place Avhere 

 the animal has taken refuge. He then searches 

 carefully all round, to ascertain whether the animal 

 be still there, and then he crawls into the thicket in 

 a circular direction, narrowing his circle gradually 

 until he comes upon his game. Directly the deer 

 rises to break cover, the rifle of the Indian brings 

 him down. 



Two of my companions, Sears and Delmot, 

 joined me in a sortie this day. We went on in line, 

 and our dogs soon came upon a scent behind a 

 clump of cotton bushes growing on the banks of a 

 little stream. I forgot to call the attention of my 



