534 TRIBES OF THE UPPER MISSOURI [ETH. ANN. 46 



his, and he also receives other payment for his services in presents, 

 besides the standing of a divining man. Plate 70 will perhaps 

 exhibit the hunt more clearly if we have not been sufficiently plain 

 in the description. 



When there is a deficiency of people to man the angles they are 

 made by placing the lodges of the camp in that form, but this can 

 only be done when they have a dozen or two of fast horses to extend 

 the angle of the lodges and force the buffalo within the lines. This 

 is also done, but it does not succeed as well as the way described. 

 Great is the joy and feasting in camp after a large throw. 



Approaching Buffalo. — This is done on foot with the gun by a 

 single man. It is indispensable he should have on a skin dress in 

 summer and a white blanket coat over it in winter, or a buffalo robe 

 coat with all the hair turned inside. 



Any dark-colored dress is easily seen by them at a considerable 

 distance, but white or light-colored clothing does not attract their 

 notice. The hunter has his gun covered with skin to prevent the dirt 

 or snow from entering the barrel while in the act of crawling. His 

 accoutrements are also firmly attached to his person by a belt. He 

 proceeds toward the buffalo, keeping the wind as nearly in his face 

 as possible, sometimes being obliged to make a circuit of miles to get 

 the wind in the right direction. When near the animals he observes 

 from the top of some hill how they are stationed, which way they 

 travel, and the nature of the ground as regards coulees, gullies, 

 bushes, grass, and any objects that may hide his person from their 

 view and shapes his course according to the means of concealment 

 presented. If he finds the country too level to get them within 

 range of the gun he then commences crawling on his belly toward 

 them, pushing his gun ahead as he goes. 



This is a very laborious and slow mode of progressing and often 

 takes one or two hours to come within shooting distance, as the 

 hunter only moves while the animals are eating, stopping the moment 

 their attention is directed toward him. In the snow it is a very cold 

 business, and in the summer difficult on account of the cactus, but 

 they are obliged to do it frequently in both seasons on these level 

 plains. Great precaution is needed to approach buffalo or antelope 

 on a level plain. The hunter covers his head with sage bushes, and 

 sticks the same or grass in his belt; at other times a wolf skin covers 

 his head and back — he lying flat, no form of the man can be per- 

 ceived — and the animals being accustomed to these objects do not 

 affright so easily. When by any of these means he has arrived within 

 shooting distance he fires without rising, elevating his piece by sup- 

 port of the elbows. After firing he remains motionless a few min- 

 utes during which the buffalo, after recoiling a few paces, and seeing 

 nothing on the move, commence grazing. He now turns over on his 



