284 WILD BEASTS AND THEIR WAYS CHAP. 



with exceedingly close and curly hair, almost resembling a fine 

 brown wool. The skins at that season are valuable as "buffalo 

 robes," and have for a long time been in great request, but owing 

 to the diminution in numbers of the animals, they are becoming 

 exceedingly scarce. 



Although the bison has a ferocious aspect, it is a perfectly 

 harmless creature, and, unlike the buffalo of Africa and India, 

 it would never offend unless previously attacked. Even then, it 

 will escape if possible, but is furious when brought to bay. 



The annual slaughter of these fine animals by the Indian tribes 

 has been well described by Cattlin. These hunts took place at 

 the commencement of winter, when the hides were in prime 

 condition, and the temperature was so low that the flesh could 

 be prewired as pemmican. 



The Indians, who were instinctively adepts at the pursuit of 

 these splendid creatures, hunted them on horseback, until they 

 managed to drive a vast herd into some favourable ground, where 

 they could be surrounded by the tribe. The massacre then com- 

 menced, with arrow and lance, until none remained. 



In the deep snow of winter, when the heavy bisons could 

 scarcely plough their way through the unstable mass, and they 

 struggled breast-deep along the drifts in search of some bare spot 

 where the keen wind had exposed the scanty pasturage, the active 

 Indians, shuffling in their snow-shoes upon the surface, could easily 

 overtake and kill the tired buffaloes. This was a war of extermina- 

 tion, and the advent of the white man, with his usual talent for de- 

 struction, has nearly completed that which the wild Indian had begun. 



I had heard much of this and other stories of the "buffalo." 

 It was therefore a pleasurable surprise to find upon our arrival in 

 the Big Horn range in 1881 that, although the plains had been 

 deserted, there were many of these animals upon the mountains. 



We had been toiling for some hours up the mountain face, at 

 the base of which the Powder river flows, and upon arrival at the 

 summit, our guide was obliged to confess that " he had never been 

 there before ! " This was a perplexity, as the vast extent of 

 mountain range was entirely trackless, and apparently devoid of 

 water. Under such circumstances, although boiling with indigna- 

 tion, it is advisable not to express your sentiments, as such a policy 

 will only add to the confusion of the guide. I therefore instructed 

 him to cross a small valley, and to ascend the opposite hill, from 

 which he would obtain a more extended view ; he was to examine 

 the whole landscajie, and to rejx>rt should he observe any appear- 

 ance of water. 



