172 
THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY, 
struments, butcher a Bison with far more celerity and 
precision than the white hunters. 
If a Bison is found dead, without an arrow in the body, 
or any particular mark attached, it becomes the property 
of the finder, so that a hunter may expend his arrows to 
no purpose when they fall off, after wounding or fairly 
perforating the animal. That the Indians do frequently 
send their arrows through the body of this animal is well 
attested by a great number of witnesses. In Long’s ex- 
pedition to the sources of St. Peter’s River, it is related 
that Wahnita, a distinguished chief of the Sioux, has been 
seen to drive his arrow through the body of one Bison, 
and sufficiently deep into the body of a second to inflict a 
deadly wound. 
When the ice is breaking up on the rivers in the spring 
of the year, the dry grass of the surrounding plains is set 
on fire, and the Bison are tempted to cross the river in 
search of the young grass that immediately succeeds the 
burning of the old. In the attempt to cross, the Bison is 
often insulated on a large cake of ice that floats down the 
river. The savages select the most favourable points for 
attack, and as the Bison approaches, the Indians leap with 
wonderful agility over the frozen ice, to attack him, and 
as the animal is necessarily unsteady, and his footing very 
insecure on the ice, he soon receives his death wound and 
is drawn triumphantly to the shore. 
The Cree Indians make a Bison-pound, by fencing a 
circular space of about a hundi'ed yards in diameter. The 
entrance is banked up with snow sufficiently high to pre- 
vent the animals from retreating after they have once en- 
tered. For about a mile on each side of the road leading 
to the pound, stakes are driven into the ground at nearly 
equal distances of about twenty yards, which are intended 
to look like men, and to deter the animals from endea- 
vouring to break through the fence. Within fifty or sixty 
yards of the pound, branches of trees are placed between 
the stakes to screen the Indians who lie down behind them, to 
wait for the approach of theBison. Themountedhuntersdis- 
play the greatest dexterity in this sort of chase, as they are 
obliged tomanoever around the herd in the plains so as to urge 
them into the road-way, which is about a quarter of a mile 
broad. When this is effected, the Indians raise loud 
shouts, and pressing closely on the animals, terrify them 
so much, that they rush heedlessly forward towards the 
snare. When they have advanced as far as the men who 
are lying in ambush, they also show themselves, increas- 
ing the consternation of the Bison by shouting violently 
and firing their guns. The affrighted animals have no 
alternative but to rush directly into the pound, where they 
are quickly despatched by guns or arrows. In the centre 
of one of these pounds, there was a tree on which the 
Indians had hung strips of Bison flesh and pieces of cloth, 
as tributary or grateful offerings to the Great Master of 
life. They occasionally place a man in the tree to sing to 
the presiding spirit as the Bisons advance. He is obliged 
to remain there until all the animals that have entered the 
pound are killed. 
The Omawhaw Indians hunt the Bison in the following 
manner. The hunters who are in advance of the main 
body on the march, employ telegraphic signals from an 
elevated position, to convey a knowledge of their disco- 
veries to the people. If they see Bisons, they throw up 
their robes in a peculiar manner as a signal for a halt. The 
hunters then return as speedily as possible to camp, and 
are received with some ceremony on their approach. The 
chiefs and magicians are seated in front of the people, puff- 
ing smoke from their pipes, and thanking the Master of 
life with such expressions as “thanks, Master of life, thank 
you Master of life, here is smoke, I am poor, hungry, and 
want to eat.” The hunters then draw near the chiefs and 
magicians, and in a low tone of voice inform them of their 
discovery: when questioned as to the number, they reply 
by holding up some small sticks in a horizontal direction, 
and compare one herd at a certain distance with this stick, 
and another with that, &c. 
An old man or crier then harangues the people, inform- 
ing them of the company, exhorting the women to keep a 
good heart, telling them that they have endured many 
hardships with fortitude, and that their present difficulties 
are ended, as on the morrow the men will go in pursuit of 
the Bisons and bring them certainly a plenty of meat. 
Four or five resolute warriors are appointed at the coun- 
cil of chiefs, held the evening previous, to preserve order 
among the hunters on the following day. It is their busi- 
ness, with a whip or club, to punish those who misbehave 
on the spot, or whose movements tend to frighten the 
game before all are ready, or previously to their arrival at 
the place whence they are to sally forth. 
The next morning all the men, not superannuated, de- 
part at an early hour, generally mounted and armed with 
bows and arrows. The superintendants or officers above 
mentioned accompany the swiftly moving cavalcade, on 
foot, armed with war clubs, the whole preceded by a foot- 
man bearing a pipe. When they come in sight of the 
herd the hunters talk kindly to their horses, using the en- 
dearing names of father, brother, uncle, &c., begging them 
not to fear the Bisons, but to run well and keep close, 
taking care at the same time not to be gored by them. 
Having approached the herd as closely as they suppose 
the animal will permit without alarm, they halt, that the 
pipe bearer may perform the ceremony of smoking, which 
is thought necessary to success. The pipe is lighted, and 
