TuRNER.i Minting. 277 



The hunting parties, always on the alert for the herds of deer which 

 are hastening to the assembling place, follow them up, and in the 

 course of time conjecture at what point they will congregate. Here 

 they establish camps and intercept the deer when crossing the streams. 

 The canoes are held in readiness, while the hunters scan the opposite 

 hillsides for deer filing along the narrow paths through the forests and 

 bushes towards the river bank. Arrived there, the deer, after a mo- 

 ment's pause, eagerly take to the water, boldly swimming as they 

 (piartcrdown stream with the current. The animals swim high in the 

 water, scarcely more than a third of the body innnersed. They move 

 compactly, in a crowd, their antlers appearing at a distance like 

 the branches of a tree floating with the current. The Indian crouches 

 low and speeds for the canoe. Silently it is pushed into the water, 

 and two or three rowers take their places within. Kapid but noise- 

 less strokes given by sturdy arms soon bring the boat below and to the 

 rear of the body of deer, who are now thrown into the greatest conster- 

 nation as they perceive their most dreaded foe suddenly by their side. 

 The deer endeavor to retreat, but the men are between them and the 

 shore. The occupants of the canoe now drive the deer (juartering up 

 stream and toward the shore where the camp is situated. Should 

 they, by some mistake on the part of the hunters, start downstream, 

 they ai'e certain to be separated, and swim so rapidly that unless 

 there be two canoes they will, for the most part, escape. If the 

 herd is well kept together they may be driven at the will of the pur- 

 suer. He strives to direct them to such spot that when the thrust 

 with the spear is given only suflScient vitality will be left to enable 

 the stricken animal to regain the shore. When the spear touches the 

 vital part, the animal plunges forward and the instrumeut is withdrawn. 

 A hurried thrust pierces another victim, until all the herd, if small, 

 maybe slain. The wounded animal now feels the internal cavity filling 

 with blood, and seeks the nearest land whereon its ebbing strength 

 scarcely allows it to stand. A few wistful turns of the head to the 

 right or left, a sudden spreading of its limbs to snpjwrt the swaying 

 body, a plunge forward — the convulsive struggles that mark the end. 

 If the band is large, some generally escape. Some may be so wounded 

 that they plunge into the bushes perhaps but a few yards and there 

 lie and die, furnishing food for the beasts and birds of prej'. 



The carcases of the deer are stripped of skins and fat and the viscera 

 are removed. The fat is laid one side, that from the intestines being 

 also reserved for future rendering. 



The skins are takcTi to the camps and piled up. Those which are not 

 to be tauned immediately are hung over poles to dry, the flesh side 

 turned upwards. 



The meat is stripi)ed from the bones and taken to the tents, where it 

 is exposed to the smoke and hot air over the fire and quickly dried. 

 Some of the Indians are so expert in stripping the flesh from the skele- 



