OK NIG] 



THB ASSINIBOIN 531 



front, after them the other horsemen. Then the foot hunters, and 

 lastly the women with their dogs and travailles. The soldiers ride 

 along each side the line (which is sometimes a mile and more in 

 length) and observe whether the line of march is preserved, and 

 that no one leaves singly. Were a dog to run out of the line it would 

 be shot with an arrow immediately. 



Their march is conducted in silence, with the wind in their faces, 

 consequently blowing the scent away from the buffalo while they 

 are coming near them. The animal is not quick sighted but very 

 keen scented, and a man can, in passing across the wind blowing 

 toward them, raise a herd at the distance of 2 or 3 miles, without 

 their seeing him. 



The party proceeds in this order, taking every advantage of con- 

 cealment the country affords in hills, coulees, bushes, long grass, 

 etc., endeavoring to get around them. As soon, however, as they 

 are close and see a movement among the buffalo intimating flight, 

 they push their horses at full speed, and riding entirely round 

 commence, shooting the buffalo, which run in the direction of the 

 footmen, these in their turn shoot, and the animals are driven 

 back toward the horses. In this way they are kept running nearly 

 in a circle until very tired, and the greater part are killed. Those 

 on horseback shoot arrows into all they can at the distance of from 

 2 to 6 paces, and the footmen load and fire as often as the animals 

 come near them. 



A " surround " party of 80 to 100 persons will in this way kill 

 from 100 to 500 buffalo in the course of an hour. As soon as possible 

 the women get to work skinning and cutting up the animals. The 

 tongue, hide, and four best pieces are the property of the one who 

 killed it, and the rest belongs to those who skin it. When the men 

 have stopped killing and turned their horses loose to graze they 

 commence with their women, and the work being divided among 

 so many is soon gotten through with. If any disputes occur as to 

 the right to the hides or meat, they are settled on the spot by the 

 soldiers; but these disputes do not often occur, as they generally 

 all have as many hides and as much meat as they can pack home. 

 The meat is cut in long, thick slices, merely detaching it from the 

 bones, and leaving the carcass on the plains. It is packed home on 

 their horses and dogs. Before leaving, however, they all make a 

 hearty meal of raw liver, raw kidneys, raw stomach, and cow's nose, 

 with other parts in the same state, and the blood being thus smeared 

 over all their faces presents a savage appearance. 



On arrival in camp if the soldiers wish the tongues, each one 

 throws his down at the soldiers' lodge in passing, or sends it to them. 

 Each also furnishes a piece of meat for that lodge, and all the old 



