EMPLOYMENT THE GREAT FALL HUNT. 353 



as good a shot as he is a hunter, he would lack meat 

 only when he could find no living animal. With his 

 head covered by a cap of grass or weeds, he will lie for 

 hours on his belly, noiseless as a snake, watching the 

 game he wishes to kill ; now perfectly motionless, now 

 crawling a few feet ; no constraint of position, no fiercest 

 heat of the plains sun, seeming to affect him in the least. 

 He will lie for a whole day at a water hole, waiting for 

 the game to come to drink (thougli in this case the water 

 must be so situated that hoofed game can get at it from 

 a certain direction, most hunted animals going to water 

 against the wind if possible). 



The plains Indian is very susceptible to cold. He 

 therefore hunts but little in winter, goes out only in the 

 most pleasant weather, and but a short distance from his 

 encampment ; for at this season he goes on foot, his ponies 

 being too poor to carry him. The habitual hunting of 

 the Indian is desultory, as he may feel in the humour of 

 sport or as the larder runs low. 



Every year ' the great fall hunt ' is made for the pur- 

 pose of killing and curing a supply of meat for winter 

 use. It is in this hunt that he finds his most perfect en- 

 joyments and excitement. Great preparations are made 

 in advance. Eunners are sent out to scour the country 

 for long distances and seek out the most eligible situation 

 for the hunting camp. It must be near water, of course ; 

 there must be plenty of timber, for poles are to be cut 

 and scaffolds erected for drying the meat ; there must be 

 level sward for stretching and drying the skins ; and, 

 above all, it must be as nearly as possible in the centre 

 of a region abounding in game. The spot being decided 

 upon, the whole band men, women, and children move 

 to it, lodges are pitched, scaffolds erected, and everything 

 put in order for work. 



The 'dog-soldiers' are masters now, and woe be to 

 the unfortunate who disobeys even the slightest of their 

 arbitrary or democratic regulations. All being ready, the 



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