The Last of the Buffalo 



in a very short time the herd was in a 

 headlong stampede, guided toward the an- 

 gle above the piskun by the piles of rock 

 on either side. 



About the walls of the piskun, now full 

 of buffalo, were distributed the women 

 and children of the camp, who, leaning 

 over the enclosure, waving their arms and 

 calling out, did all they could to frighten 

 the penned-in animals, and to keep them 

 from pushing against the walls, or trying 

 to jump or climb over them. As a rule, 

 the buffalo raced round within the enclo- 

 sure ; and the men shot them down as they 

 passed, until all were killed. After this 

 the people all entered the piskun, and cut 

 up the dead, transporting the meat to camp. 

 The skulls, bones, and less perishable offal 

 were removed from the enclosure ; and 

 the wolves, coyotes, foxes, and badgers 

 devoured what was left. 



It occasionally happened that something 

 occurred to turn the buffalo, so that they 

 passed through the guiding arms and es- 

 caped. Usually they went on straight to 

 the angle, and jumped over the cliff into 

 the enclosure below. In winter, when 

 snow was on the ground, their straight 

 course was made additionally certain by 

 placing on or just above the snow, a line 

 235 



