154 
FRANK FORESTER’S FIELD SPORTS. 
“ A better and more common way of killing Bison is that of 
attacking them on horseback. The Indians, mounted, and well 
armed with bows and arrows, encircle the herd, and gradually 
drive them into a situation favorable for the employment of the 
horse. They then ride in and single out one, generally a female, 
and following her as closely as possible, wound her with arrows 
until the mortal blow is given, when they go in pursuit of others 
until their quivers are exhausted. Should a wounded Bison 
attack the hunter, he escapes by the agility of his horse, which 
is usually well trained for the purpose. In some parts of the 
country, the hunter is exposed to considerable danger of fall¬ 
ing, in consequence of the numerous holes made in the plains 
by the Badger. 
“ 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 this 
animal, is well attested by a great number of witnesses. In 
Long’s Expedition to the sources of St. Peter’s River, it i3 
related that Waniha, 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 cake of 
ice that floats down the river. The savages select the most favor¬ 
able 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. 
“We have already adverted to the great number of these ani- 
