202 the american bisons. 



3.— The Chase. 



An account of the means and methods by which the huft'alo has hecome 

 so nearly exterminated forms an interesting chapter in its history, since they 

 have varied at different times and at different localities, in accordance with 

 the customs of the different Indian tribes, and with the wants and imple- 

 ments of the white man. 



When the Jesuit missionaries Brat visited the Illinois prairies, it seems to 

 have been a genera] custom with the Indians of the Mississippi Valley to 

 hunt the buffalo by the aid of lire, accounts of which have been left us by 

 Hennepin. I)u Prat/,. Charlevoix, and others. Hennepin says: ••When the 

 Savages discover a greal Number of those Beasts together, they likewise as- 

 semble their whole Tribe to encompass the Bulls, and then set on fire the 

 dr\ Herbs about them, except in some places, which they leave free: and 

 therein lay themselves in Ambuscade. The Bulls, seeing the Flame round 

 them, run away through those Passages where they see no Fire; and there 

 fall into the Hands of the Savages, who by these Means will kill sometimes 

 above sixscore in a day."* 



Charlevoix's account of the Indian method of hunting the buffalo is as 

 follows: "In the Southern anil Western Parts of New France, Oil both Sides 

 ill, Mississippi, the most famous Hunt is that of the Buffaloe, which is per- 

 formed in this Manner: The Hunters range themselves on four Pines, which 

 form a greal Square, and begin by setting Fire to the Crass and Herbs, which 

 are dry and very high: Then as tin- Piri' gets forwards, they advance, closing 

 their Pines: The Buffaloes, which are extremely afraid of Fire, keep living 



from it. and at last find themselves mi erouded together that they are gener- 

 ally every one killed. They say that a Party seldom returns from hunting 

 without killing Fifteen Hundred or Two Thousand, lint lest the different 

 Companies should hinder each other, they all agree before the\ Bel out about 



the Place where they intend to hunt.'' etc. t 



.Mr. d. ( i. Shea also alludes to the general custom among the Indians of the 



Upper Mississippi of hunting buffaloes bj foe. of which the buffaloes have a 

 great dread. Finding it approaching them, "thej retire towards the centre 

 of the prairie, where, being pressed together in greal numbers, the Indians 



• \ Men Diwovoi ' ountrj in America, p 80, London, 1698. 



i 1, Ed , r SS 



