BUFFALO. 135 



and brings into camp the skins taken each day. The 

 outfit is most meagre : a sack of flour, a side of bacon, 

 five pounds of coffee, ten of sugar, a little salt, and 

 possibly a few beans, is a month's supply. A common, 

 or ' A,' tent furnishes shelter ; a couple of blankets for 

 each man is bed. One or more of Sharp's or Eemington's 

 heaviest sporting rifles, and an unlimited supply of ammu- 

 nition, is the armament ; while a coffee-pot, Dutch oven, 

 frying-pan, four tin plates, and four tin cups, constitute 

 the kitchen and table furniture. 



The skinning knives do duty at the platter, and 

 ' fingers were made before forks.' Nor must be forgotten 

 one or more ten-gallon kegs for water, as the camp may 

 of necessity be far away from a stream. The supplies 

 are generally furnished by the merchant for whom the 

 party is working, who, in addition, pays each of the 

 party a specified percentage of the value of the skins 

 delivered. The shooter is carefully selected for his skill 

 and knowledge of the habits of the buffalo. He is cap- 

 tain and leader of the party. When all is ready he 

 plunges into the wilderness, going to the centre of the 

 best buffalo region known to him, not already occupied 

 (for there are unwritten regulations recognised as laws, 

 giving to each hunter certain rights of discovery and 

 occupancy). Arrived at the position he makes his camp 

 in some hidden ravine or thicket, and makes all ready 

 for work. 



Early next morning, rifle in hand, and belt well sup- 

 plied with ammunition, he sallies forth. His object is 

 not only to kill, but to avoid frightening the living. 

 Keeping the wind, peeping over hills, creeping along 

 ravines, now bagging a solitary victim, now screened by 

 a bank, putting bullets into three or four before they can 

 get away. Occasionally he may find a herd in an excep- 

 tionally favourable position. Crawling like a snake 

 along the bottom of a ravine, he may approach unsus- 

 pected to within thirty or forty feet of the nearest. 



