538 TRIBES OP THE UPPER MISSOURI [eth. ann. 46 



some nourishment by sucking their paws. The nest or wash is 

 always within a few feet of the entrance and they can easily be seen 

 from the outside. Generally a den contains two to four bears, or one 

 large male and two yearling cubs, or one large female and two 

 yearlings. Sometimes, however, they are found singly. When a den 

 is discovered six or eight Indians go to attack it, approaching the hole 

 so close as to see the foremost bear, when three of them fire, the others 

 reserving their shots. They all run off some distance and if the ani- 

 mal, or any others pursue them, the rest fire. If the first one has 

 been killed and there are others the smoke of the guns drives them 

 out, when they receive a volley from the hunters. If they see nothing 

 after waiting a sufficient time for the smoke to escape from the hole 

 they again approach as before and see if the animal be dead. If so, 

 they make a smoke within the entrance with the view of driving out 

 any other that may be within. Should nothing appear they conclude 

 there is but one, enter, and drag him out. 



Frequently two or three bears are killed in the same hole at the 

 same time, and at others some of the hunters get dreadfully mangled. 

 Bears are also run on horseback, when found on the plains, and shot 

 with arrows. This is the least dangerous manner of killing them. 

 No pits or traps are used, though we have known forked sticks 

 to be placed before the hole so that when they came out they were 

 caught by the hind part and detained a short time. When a bear 

 is killed he is skinned, all except the head, which is covered with 

 scarlet cloth, the hair smeared over with vermilion, handsome feath- 

 ers stuck around it, and new kettles and tobacco laid before it. 

 It is presented with the pipe to smoke and a long ceremony of invoca- 

 tion takes place, purporting that they give him this property and 

 pay this" attention to have pity upon their wives and children and not 

 tear them when they are hunting after fruit and berries. They 

 say if this is not done the bear will certainly sooner or later devour 

 some of them or their children. 



Beaver. — None of these Indians trap the beaver to any extent ex- 

 cept the Crow and Cree Indians. The steel trap is used by them, set 

 under the water, and a stick dipped in the musk or oilstone of the 

 beaver, placed behind the trap, though above the surface. The ani- 

 mal, smelling the bait, will come to see what it is, and in swimming 

 around is caught by the foot. Oils of cinnamon, cloves, and 

 rhodium are also used for bait by white trappers. 



Wolves and Foxes. — Wolves and foxes are caught in deadfall traps 

 made by planting sticks in the ground with a crosspiece supporting 

 a heavy roof of stone laid on sticks. The whole is propped up with 

 a stick, and the wolf going in to eat the meat displaces the prop and 

 the whole weight falls upon him and breaks his back. The Cree 



