he horsemen
who have to manoeuvre round the herd in the plains so as 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 advanced 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 to
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 presiding spirit as
the buffaloes are advancing who must keep his station until the whole
that have entered are killed. This species of hunting is very similar to
that of taking elephants 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. Whenever 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 considerable danger from the fall of his horse in the numerous
holes which the badgers make in these plains, and also from the rage of
the buffalo which when closely pressed often turns suddenly and, rushing
furiously on the horse, frequently succeeds in wounding it or dismounting
the rider. Whenever the animal shows this disposition which the
experienced hunter will readily perceive he immediately pulls up his
horse and goes off in another direction.

When the buffaloes are on the