e. The snow was
too deep for hunting, and the main body of the buffalo had crossed the
Missouri, where it was too far to go after them. But there were some
smaller herds of the animals scattered about in our vicinity, therefore
there was still fresh meat to be had, but it was not secured without a
great deal of difficulty.

No ponies could be used. The men hunted on snow-shoes until after the
Moon of Sore Eyes (March), when after a heavy thaw a crust was formed
on the snow which would scarcely hold a man. It was then that our people
hunted buffalo with dogs--an unusual expedient.

Sleds were made of buffalo ribs and hickory saplings, the runners bound
with rawhide with the hair side down. These slipped smoothly over the
icy crust. Only small men rode on the sleds. When buffalo were reported
by the hunting-scouts, everybody had his dog team ready. All went under
orders from the police, and approached the herd under cover until they
came within charging distance.

The men had their bows and arrows, and a few had guns. The huge animals
could not run fast in the deep snow. They all followed a leader,
trampling out a narrow path. The dogs with their drivers soon caught up
with them on each side, and the hunters brought many of them down.

I remember when the party returned, late in the night. The men came
in single file, well loaded, and each dog following his master with an
equally heavy load. Both men and animals were white with frost.

We boys had waited impatiently for their arrival. As soon as we spied
them coming a buffalo hunting whistle was started, and every urchin in
the village added his voice to the weird sound, while the dogs who had
been left at home joined with us in the chorus. The men, wearing their
buffalo moccasins with the hair inside and robes of the same, came home
hungry and exhausted.

It is often supposed that the dog in the Indian camp is a useless member
of society, but it is not so in the wild life. We found him one of the
most useful of domestic animals, especially in an emergency.

While at this camp a ludicrous incident occurred that is still told
about the camp-fires of the Sioux. One day the men were hunting on
snow-shoes, and contrived to get within a short distance of the buffalo
before they made the attack. It was impossible to run fast, but the huge
animals were equally unable to get away. Many were killed. Just as the
herd reached an open plain one of the buffaloes stopped and fin