The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1875-03-17
How Indians Hunt.

now ln0I8HN nuuA
1t is generally supposed that Indi-
ans never make use Of their dogs
when hunting, but do their own
driving On foot. There, are, howev-
er, some tribes that use dogs success
fully in the chase. The Chippewa
Indians surround some favorite feed
ing ground Of the deer, and one In
dian turns the dog loose in the cen
tre of the enclosed space Some OF
the dogs are well trained and hunt
independently of each other, and it
often happens that several deer are
killed at one drive. The number Of
hunters engaged in a drive is limited,
according to the number ofrunaways
to be manned. Large parties often
"split" up and hunt in localities
adapted to their numbers. Some
times the Chippewss still hunt sing
ly. They have trails cut through
their hunting grounds, as nearly
parallel as they can make them, SO
that when they are hunting there
are no dead sticks to crack and
alarm the game, or any twigs to OBJ
struct the hunters view. Many IN
dians foolishly chew their bullets until
they become so rough that they can
scarcely force them down their rifles.
| told one Indian that to chew his
rifle balls was medicine" and that
they would go crooked. He took a
ball from bis pouch that was badly
marred and pointed to it, saying:
Good medicine-heap kill deer" /
tried to show him by signs that he
was wrong 10 his belief, but could
not convice him of the fact. Mr..
Leo then took cartridge from my
belt, and after having looked at it,
and turned it over about twenty
times; be looked up quickly and gave
a grunt Of satisfaction, ard said:
big shoot-heap kill mattau'n
(bear.)
The cartridge referred to was one
of Sharp's A cal, with patched ball
and eighty. grains Of powder Ny
red friend soon left me, evidently
musing on the big cartridge As be
was leaving, | saw him look at one
of the small balls and quickly put it
in bis pouch, as if be was disgusted
with its small size.
In a buffalo country the Gnos /
Ventres, Sioux, Assineboines, Ar
ickarees (Rees) Piegans, Pawnees /
and Utes, surround or cOrrall a herd
when hun;ing. In some places
have seen Indians keep herd Of
buffalo corralled for three days. They
keep their sentinels on: on rises on
the prairie about mile or two, (ac-
cording to the lay Of the ground, }
from the herd, and should the buffalo
make "brake they are Immediately
headed and generally turned back
BY one or more Indians. Hunting
the buffalo is the chief sport Of the
Indians. In fact they are never so
happy as they are when hunting the
buffalo, and gormandiziDg on its
flesh. Indians having fast horses, or
in other words, horses that will catch
buffalo, tie a feather in their animals
tails, and should an Iudian have q
horse that can easily oyertake buff
falo, be puts an additional feather in
his Dony's forelOck as a mark Of
great speed. Some Of the Sioux In
dams punch holes in the back edges
Of their ponies ears and tie them full
of bright eolored silks and wOrsteds.
Horses were valued according to
their feathers, and should an Indian
wish to buy horse be Immediately
asks his owner if the pony can catch
buffalo Indians seldom hunt
alone far from their villages First,
it is against the rules of their tribe
and SECONDLY, they are afraid of
losing their sealps. Should an In
dian go hunting "on the sly" and be
found out, be will be 'soldiered," or
have his cloths cut to pieces when
he returns to camp. Regular hunt
ing parties are organized to extend
their hunts to any locality agreed
upon. When running buffalo each
individual has two ponies, Oae OF
which be lesds; they axe ridden al
ternately during the hunt. War
parties SIso use lead" horses. Some
Indians still use the bow for hunting,
| but they are mostly old men, who
are too poor to own a rife. The
Winchester carbine is the favor
ite gun with the Indians for war or
hunting. Many Of them have the
Springfield needle guns, and have
seen some individuals do good shoot
ing with them. If an Indian is short
o. ammunition be will take his robe or
blanket from his back and trade il
for few cartridges. When chasing
the buffalo over rolling prairie, they
are followed leisurely by the hunter
until a bend reaches bill, when tbs
rimble Indian pony of the hunter
makes two jumps to the bnAalo's one
when ascending the bill, and thus
darts forward among them, giving
his rider chance to empty his Win
chester. Balls are seldom killed BY
the Indians, as the flesh and silken
robes of the COW are the desiderate.
When toe chase is over the hun
ters claim their game and dress II as
\ follows: The skin is removed and the
quarters severed from the body. The
| leg bones are cracked and the mar
row saved for making pemican- The
brains Of the cows are also used Tor
eating and tanning. The desh IS
taken from the animal in flakes and
piled on the poor little ponies un1i
thew are heavily loaded, then Mr..
Lo mounts on the top Of the meat,
and the ill-used little beasts s,agger
away under their double loads. The
entrsiIs are partially cleaned, looPed
on a stick, roasted over camp IRE
and then greedily deFoured as TIT
bites. II q party Of Indians are not
bunting in al enemy's country the
squaws are permitted" to do al the
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