THE AMERICAN BISONS. 203 



rush in with their arrows and musketry, and slaughter immense numbers in 

 a few hours." * 



Mr. Catlin, in his "North American Indians," has described with consider- 

 able detail the methods of hunting the buflalo among the Sioux Indians, and 

 has given a series of six plates illustrative of the chase. t According to this 

 author, the chief hunting amusement of the Indians of the vicinit}' of the 

 Teton River, a small tributary of the Missouri, which joins the latter at old 

 Fort Pierre, in Southern Dakota, consists in the chase of the buffalo. Being 

 bold and desperate horsemen, they almost invariably pursue the buflalo on 

 horseback, despatching him with the bow and lance with apparent ease. The 

 horses, being well trained to the chase, as well as very fleet, soon bring their 

 riders alongside their game. The Indian, as well as his horse, is divested of 

 everything that might prove an encumbrance in running, the Indian even 

 throwing oft" his shield and quiver as well as his clothing ; taking in his left 

 hand five or six arrows drawn from his quiver, he holds them ready for 

 instant use, while he plies a heavy wdiip with his right. Hiding near the 

 rear of the herd he selects his animal, which he separates from the mass by 

 dashing his horse between it and the herd, and, riding past it to the right, 

 discharges his deadly arrow at the animal's heart, which penetrates " to the 

 feather." Some, our author says, also pursue the animal with the lance. In 

 this manner the Sioux were accustomed to destroy immense numbers of the 

 buffalo, pursuing them in large hunting-parties, and killing hundreds and 

 even thousands in a single hunt. Mr. Catlin refers to one of these grand 

 hunts that occurred just before his arrival at the Fur Company's post at the 

 mouth of the Teton, in May, 1833. A large herd of buffaloes appearing in 

 sight on the opposite side of the river, a band of five hundred or six hundred 

 Sioux horsemen forded the river about midday, and, recrossing the river at 

 sundown, brought with them to the post fourteen hundred fresh buffalo tongues, 

 which they readily exchanged for a few 7 gallons of whiskey, " which was soon 

 demolished," as our narrator states, " indulging them in a little and harmless 

 carouse." Not a skin, nor a pound of meat, except the tongues, was saved 

 from these slaughtered hundreds. 



In winter, when from the depth of the snow these huge creatures are 

 unable to move rapidly, they fall an easy prey to the Indian, who overtakes 

 them readily upon his snow-shoes, and despatches them with his bow and 



* Discovery and Exploration of the Mississippi Valley, p. 18, footnote, 

 t North American Indians, Vol. II, plates cvii - cxiii. 



