OF THE POLAR SEA. 



113 



to urge them to enter the roadway, which is about a quarter of a 

 mile broad. When this has been accomplished, they raise loud shouts, 

 and, pressing close upon the animals, so terrify them that they 

 rush heedlessly forward towards the snare. When they have ad- 

 vanced as far as the men who are lying in ambush, they also rise, and 

 increase the consternation by violent shouting and firing guns. The 

 affrighted beasts, having no alternative, run directly into the pound, 

 where they are quickly despatched, either with an arrow or gun. 



There was a tree in the centre of the pound, on which the Indians 

 had hung strips of buffalo flesh and pieces of cloth as tributary or 

 grateful offerings to the Great Master of Life ; and we were told 

 that they occasionally place a man in the tree to sing to the pre- 

 siding spirit as the buffaloes are advancing, who must keep his station 

 until the whole that have entered are killed. The annexed print, 

 from a sketch by Mr. Back, will shew clearly the nature of this spe- 

 cies of hunting, which, in fact, is very similar to that of taking ele- 

 phants on the Island of Ceylon, but upon a smaller scale. 



The Crees complained to us of the audacity of a party of Stone 

 Indians, who, two nights before, had stripped their revered tree of 

 many of its offerings, and had injured their pound by setting their 

 stakes out of the proper places. 



Other modes of killing the buffalo are practised by the Indians 

 with success :— of these the hunting them on horseback requires 

 most dexterity. An expert hunter, when well mounted, dashes at 

 the herd, and chooses an individual which he endeavours to separate 

 from the rest. If he succeeds, he contrives to keep him apart by the 

 proper management of his horse, though going at full speed. When- 

 ever he can get sufficiently near for a ball to penetrate the beast's 

 hide, he fires, and seldom fails of bringing the animal down ; though 

 of course he cannot rest the piece against the shoulder, nor take a 

 deliberate aim. On this service the hunter is often exposed to con- 

 siderable danger from the fall of his horse in the numerous holes 



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