the fruits of their industry in peace.

The French half-breeds and retired Canadian voyageurs occupy the upper
part of the settlement. The half-breeds are strongly attached to the
roving life of the hunter; the greater part of them depend entirely on
the chase for a living, and even the few who attend to farming take a
trip to the plains, to feast on buffalo humps and marrow fat. They sow
their little patches of ground early in spring, and then set out for
the chase, taking wives and children along with them, and leaving only
the aged and infirm at home to attend to the crops.

When they set out for the plains, they observe all the order and
regularity of a military march; officers being chosen for the
enforcement of discipline, who are subject to the orders of a chief,
whom they style "M. le Commandant." They take their departure from the
settlement about the latter end of June, to the number of from 1,200
to 1,500 souls; each hunter possesses at least six carts, and some
twelve; the whole number may amount to 5,000 carts. Besides his riding
nag and cart horses, he has also at least one buffalo runner, which he
never mounts until he is about to charge the buffalo. The "runner" is
tended with all the care which the cavalier of old bestowed on his
war steed; his housing and trappings are garnished with beads and
porcupine quills, exhibiting all the skill which the hunter's wife or
belle can exercise; while head and tail display all the colours of the
rainbow in the variety of ribbon attached to them.

The "Commandant" directs the movements of the whole cavalcade: at a
signal given in the morning by sound of trumpet--_alias_, by blowing
a horn,--the hunters start together for their horses; while the women
and servants strike the tents, and pack up and load the baggage. The
horses being all collected, a second blast forms the order of march;
the carts fall in, four abreast; the hunters mount; and dividing into
their different bodies, one precedes the baggage, another closes
the line, and a third divides in both flanks. The third blast is
the signal for marching. They halt about two hours at noon, for the
purpose of allowing their cattle time to feed; and the same order is
observed as in starting in the morning. When they encamp at night,
the carts are placed in a circle; and the tents are pitched within
the enclosed space, so as to form regular streets; the horses are
"hobbled" and turned loose to graze.

All the arran