Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1855-04-11
miscellaneous.
BUFFALO HUNTING.

" wi iouo lhteleet anu great Importance
in this vast wilderness rendered peculi-
arly so at this time, like the history of the
poor savage and from the same consider
alton, that they are rapidly wasting away
at the approach Of civilized man, and like
him and his character, in a very few years,
to live only in books or on canvas.
The word buffalo is undoubtedly most
Incorrectly applied to these animals. and
we can scarcely tell why they have been
so called, for they bear just about as much
resemblance to the eastern buffalo, as they
do to zebra or to a common OK How
nearly they may approach to the bison of
Europe, which we never have had an op-
portunity to see, and which we are inclin-
ed to think, Is now nearly extinct we are
unable to say yet, if we were to Judge
from the numerous engravIngs we have
seen of those animals, and descriptions we
have read of them, we should be inclined
to think that there was yet a wide differ
erence between the bison of the American
prairies, and those in the north of Europe
and Asia. The American bison, or (as
We shall hereafter call it) buffalo, is the
largest of all the ruminating animals that
are now living in America, and seems to
have been spread over the plains Of this
vast country by the Great Spirit for the
use and subsistence of the red men, who
live almost exclusively on their flesh. and
clothe themselves with their skins Their
color is dark brown, but changing very
much as the season varies from warm to
cold; their hair, or fur, from its great
length in the winter and spring, and ex-
posure to The weather, turning quite light.
and almost to 4 Jet black when the winter
coat is shed off and new growth is shoot
i1g out
The buffalo bull often grows to the
enormous weight of 1000 pounds, and
shakes a long and shaggy black name,
which falls In great profusion and confu-
sion off his head and shoulders, and often
times falling down quite to the ground
The horns are short, but very large, and
have but one turn, 4. e, they are simple
arch, without the least approach to a spi-
raj form, like those of the common OK or
Of the goat species.
The female is much smaller than the
male, and always distinguishable by the
peculiar shape of the horns, which are
made smaller and more crooked, turning
their points more in towards the center of
| the forehead
One of the most remarkable character
istics of the buffalo is the peculiar forma-
tion and expression of the eye, the ball of
which is very large and white, and the iris
! Jet black The lids Of the eye seem al
ways to be strained quite open, and the
( ball rolling forward and down. so that a
considerable part of the iris is hidden be-
hind the lower lid, while the pure white
of the eyeball glares out over it in an
arch, in the shape; of a moon at the end OF
4 its first quarter.
The almost countless herds Of these
! animals that are sometimes met with on
these prairies have been often spoken ot
BY other writer's, and may yet be seen by
any traveller who viii take the pains IL
visit these regions. The running sea
son, which IS in August and September
is the time when they congregate into such
masses in some places as literally to black
en- the prairies for miles together
The chief hunting amusements OF the
Indians in these parts consists in the
chase of the buffalo, which Is almost inva-
riably done on horseback, with BOW au6
lance In this exercise, which IS highly
priced by them as one of their most val
ued amusements, as well as for being the
principal mode of procuring meat fol
their subsistence, they become exceeding
ly expert, and are able to slay these huge
animals with apparent ease.
The Indians in these parts are al
mounted on small but serviceable horses
which are caught By them in the prairies
where they are often found running wilc
in numerous bands The Indian. mount
ed on his little wild horse, which has beer
through some years of training, dashes OF
at full speed amongst the herds Of buffa
loes, elks, or even antelopes, and deal
his deadly arrows to their hearts from hi
horses back. The horse is the Aeetes
animal of the prairie, aud easily bring
his rider alongside Of his game, which fall
certain prey to his deadly shafts at
distance of few PAGES
In the chase Of the buffalo, or other an
imal. the Indian generally t'strips" himsel
and his horse by throwing off his shiel,
and culver, and every part of his dres
which might be an incumbrance to him il
running grasping his bow in his lef
hand, with five or six arrows drawn from
his quiver, and ready for instant use. i
his right hand Tor attached to the wrist
is heavy whip. which he uses withou
mercy, ard forces his horse along side c
his game at the swiftest speed.
These horses are so trained that th
Indian has little use for the rein, whic
hangs on the neck, whilst the horse az
: proaches the animal on the right side, giy
= ing his rider the chance to throw his al
, row to the left. which be does at the II
slant when the horse is passing, bringin
him opposite to the heart, which receive
the deadly weapon " to the feather
When pursuing large herd, the India
generally rides close in the rear until b
, selects the animal he wishes tothill, whie
he separates from the throng as soon as b
can, BY dasbing his horse between it an
the herd and forcing it off by itself, wher
he can approach it without the danger {
being trampled to death, to which be
often liable by too closely escor.ing th
! multitude
No bride whatever is used in thi