262 The King of the Thundering Herd 



two, or perhaps half a day, secured as many 

 bison as they could by the ordinary means 

 in a month. 



There were other forms of the piskun but 

 this one was the most in use. Upon the 

 broad plains where there were no coulees, 

 it was necessary to build an enormous 

 corral, closed on all but one side. Here, in- 

 stead of being eight feet high, it was only 

 four, and a broad causeway was built run- 

 ning up to this low place in the strong 

 fence. 



When all was in readiness, the Indians 

 then went upon the plains to the buffalo's 

 feeding-ground and toled the herd up to 

 this corral, driving it slowly up the cause- 

 way until they at last all jumped into this 

 death-pen. Then the Indians would slip up 

 stealthily and close up the low place in the 

 fence, thus trapping the herd. They were 

 obliged to begin the killing process almost 

 at once, for it was hard to build a fence 



