154 FRANK forester's FIELD SPORTS. 



" A better and more common way of killing Bison is that of 

 attacking them on horseback. The Indians, mounted, and well 

 armed with bows and arrows, encircle the herd, and gradually 

 drive them into a situation favorable for the employment of the 

 horse. They then ride in and single out one, generally a female, 

 and following her as closely as possible, wound her with arrows 

 until the mortal blow is given, when they go in pursuit of others 

 until their quivers are exhausted. Should a wounded Bison 

 attack the hunter, he escapes by the agility of his horse, which 

 is usually well trained for the pui-pose. In some parts of the 

 country, the hunter is exposed to considerable danger of fall- 

 ing, in consequence of the numerous holes made in the plains 

 by the Badger. 



" If a Bison is found dead, vnthout an arrow in the body, or any 

 particular mark attached, it becomes the property of the finder ; 

 so that a hunter may expend his arrows to no pui-pose when 

 they fall off, after wounding or fairly perforating the animal. 

 That the Indians do frequently send their arrows through this 

 animal, is well attested by a great number of witnesses. In 

 Long's Expedition to the sources of St. Peter's River, it is 

 related that Waniha, a distinguished chief of the Sioux, has been 

 seen to drive his arrow through the body of one Bison, and 

 sufficiently deep into the body of a second, to inflict a deadly 

 wound. 



" When the ice is breaking up on the rivers in the spring of 

 the year, the dry grass of the surrounding plains is set on fire, 

 and the Bison are tempted to cross the river in search of the 

 young grass that immediately succeeds the burning of the old. 

 In the attempt to cross, the Bison is often insulated on a cake of 

 ice that floats down the river. The savages select the most favor- 

 able points for attack, and as the Bison approaches, the Indians 

 leap with wonderful agility over the frozen ice to attack him. 

 And as the animal is necessarily unsteady, and his footing very 

 insecure on the ice, he soon receives his death-wound, and is 

 drawn triumphantly to the shore. 



" We have already adverted to the great number of these ani- 



