110 ASSINNIBOINE AND SASKATCHEWAN EXPEDITION. 



they occasion, if the weather be calm, fully twenty miles 

 before they arrive, this warning is best perceived by ap- 

 plying the ear to a badger hole. During the rutting 

 season they can be heard bellowing for a great distance 

 on a still night. When we arrived at the Sandy Hills on 

 the South Branch, the Crees, on being asked if the buffalo 

 were numerous near at hand, answered, " listen to-night 

 and you will hear them." 



The summer and fall buffalo hunts are the grand 

 events of the year to the Eed Eiver settlers, in fact the 

 chief dependence for a livelihood of the greater part of 

 the population. The start is usually made from the 

 settlements about the 15th of June for the summer hunt, 

 the hunters remaining in the prairie until the 20th August 

 or 1st of September. One division (the White Horse 

 Plain) goes by the Assinniboine Eiver to the "rapids cross- 

 ing place," and then proceed in a south-westerly direction. 

 The other, or Eed Eiver division, pass on to Pembina, and 

 then take a southerly direction.' The two divisions some- 

 times meet, but not intentionally. Mr. Flett in 1849 

 took a census of the White Horse Plain division near the 

 Chiefs' Mountain, not far from the Shayenne Eiver, Daco- 

 tah Territory, and enumerated 603 carts, 700 half-breeds, 

 200 Indians, 600 horses, 200 oxen, 400 dogs and one cat. 



Mr. Eoss * gives the following census of the number of 

 carts assembled in camp for the buffalo hunt at five dif- 

 ferent periods : — 



In 1820. Number of carts assembled for the first trip 540 



In 1825 „ „ „ 680 



In 1830 „ „ „ 820 



In 1835 „ „ „ 970 



In 1840 „ „ „ 1210 



* The Red River Settlement, its rise, progress, and present state. London. 

 1856. 



