The morning news., 1889-03-16
THE LAST BISON GONE.
A Magnificent Species of Animals
Now Almost Extinct

more wonderful is the fact that a metrop-
oils of over 200 600 population now stands
where but few years ago there was only a
Wilderness inha bited by the Indians and a
fay rite haunt for the bison. Few people
realize that this is an almost extinct species.
There is not single herd left, where but a
few years ago Thousands and sometimes
millions Of the shaggy animals blackened
the prairies. DR.. William i. Carver IS
probably responsible for the death Of
more bison than any other one
man. For a mum er Of years he hunted
them on the plains, and in shooting them he
developed that wonderful skill in handling
fire arms which has made him the best all
around shot in the world. To a Kansas.
City Times representative he told the fol
lowing story Of the bison and how they
were formerly hunted by the Indians, then
bv the whites; Before the invasion Of civ
ilization the Indian relied almost entirely
upon the bison for his subsistence. 7 he red
man, although daring in his attempts to
kill game, was yet the complete slave Of
the medicine man. How did he rule tbeml
| will tell you. When the Indians supply
Of buffalo meat began to give out, or
the season came to lay in the winter
rations, the medicine man was notified and
he ordered a buffalo dance. If the tribe was
a large one the festivities would often last
for weeks, and all sorts of can-cans would
be indulged in. AT the close of the feast
the medicine man would gather all kinds of
herbs, roots leaves and grasses and retire
to his tent. Exactly what his process OF
preparing the medicine was no white man
has ever found out but the faith in him
was so strong that even the most powerful
chief would not be followed by dozen
braves if the medicine was wrong From
time to time the medicine man would come
to the door of the tent and announce to the
waiting chiefs what the mixture Indicated
Upon the final announcement that the
medicine was right the whole camp would
be broken up and the tribe would start in
full force upon the hunt. A few sharp
sighted old scouts would be in the van and
keep the tribe posted as to the location and
number Of bison by riding in circles of diff
ferent sizes and points of intersection.
When suitable herd was found, thu war
riors would stop, mount their favorite
hunting horses and prepare for the slaugh-
ter The bow was made of hickory wood,
about four feet long. covered with a paste
made OF the boiled sinews of bison, and
stiff enough to serve as a jumping pole.
Notwithstanding this strength, tho Indian
would bend the bow almost double before
sending Che arrow to the winds 1t was
strung with the cord which runs from the
top of bisOn's hump to his tail, this cord
being first wrapped with small strings of
sinews. The arrow was from thirty to
tbirty-siI i1ches in length, almost the sizo
Of a lead pencil, tipped with several feath-
ers and having the familiar flint head
tied on the front end. From the head
grooves are cut in the arrow so as to let
the blood flow freely. The great warriors
sometimes had arrows made of bone, and in
Later days the White men taught the In
dams to use steel arrow heads.
Having killed as many bison as possible,
the hunters seek some cool place for rest
and the squaws take charge Of the game.
They skin the animals, cut the flesh into
strips and hang them in the sun to dry
When the meat became crisp enough to
break it was placed in rAwhide pouch
covered all over with tallow and put away
for winter use. In that condition the meat
is very good to eat, but when boiled for a
short time it absorbs the water and returns
to its former size and tastes almost like
fresh meat. The squaws also tan the hides
or dress them up to be traded. The fur
dealers would get them for fe " pieces of
common jawelry worth possibly 80 cents.
As the Indians hunted them. the race of
bison would probably have lasted forever,
but about 1866 the white men turned their
attention to the shaggy monsters of the
plains. Large eastern firms organized
hunting parties and paid the shooters 81 30
for each bis IN where he lay dead on the
plains. | then went to Southern Nebraska
and became a professional hunter. The
bison consisted of two large divisions, the
one living in the south and the other in the
north. Their only common feeding ground
was along the Republican river and its
branches in Nebraska. The indians were
well aware of that fact and hostile tribes
have had many fight for that territory
1t was not until 1878 that the government
put an end to this by sending the Pawnees
south and the Sioux to their northern res
ervations Prior to that time we had to do
all of our hunting at the risk OF being
scalped at any time.
"Our favorite gun was an army model of
the Springfield rifle, 45-caliber and loaded
with ninety grains OF power. The whites
patterned after the Indians and hunted on
horseback. Having wagons to haul our
game, we did not care to circle them as
the indians did. When herd was located
we would mount our best horses and as
quietly as possible approach the herd from
the leeward side. AS soon as they saw US
the fun would begin. Although of a low
build, the bison will make very interest
ing race with horse for ten miles. We
would press up on the right flank of the
herd and ride so close to tEe animals that
our guns would touch the side when fired.
The most deadly shot was to fire quartering
through the lungs so that the animal
would bleed TO death In this way we
would follow the herd as long as our horses
could stand it. On one of these runs |
killed ll3 bison, none of which were more
than 100 yards apart. In riding back an
awful sight was presented 10 the eye The
trail was marked by dead and dying ami
mails. An occasional big bull would have a
broken back 50 that he could only get up on
his fore legs, and nothing could look more
furious than his shaking head with coal
black eyes glaring in death stare from his
shaggy front. We received our pay for the
animals dead on the plains, and wagons fol
lowed US up, quartered the animals and
shipped the saddle and tallow to eastern
markets.
About 1871 the hide hunting began.
Prior to this time little or no attention was
paid to the skins, but when tde demand for
them created a high price the meat was
allowed to rot upon the plains and this
magnificent race was extinguished simply
that extravagant tastes might be satisfied.
With the improvements in firearms an en-
tirely different mode Of hunting was
adopted. The Springfield army gun was
superseded by Sharp 50-caliber and loaded
with 10 grains Of powder Toe hunter
used his horse only in finding herd This
done, we would go to the leeward side SO
that the scent of the powder and report
would not reach the animals,
and find a suitable shelter about
1000 yards Hdistant from them.
have killed them at a distance of mile.
Hunting in this way we had to be very par
ticular, and watch the herd closely. Like
herd of cattle, the bison are always on the
IL ss,N.-s a.