The National tribune., 1899-11-02

killed the whole herd. Not an anima
got away, and all was done in shor
time. Their training-you might almos
call it drill-in this mode of hunting was
perfect indeed. There We're no accidents.
| counted 3S7 dead buffaloes, large anG
small, nearly all in prime condition, anG
all this slaughter was accomplished on q
space Of ground not to exceed three miles
square. l examined a good many car
casses, and very few animals had beer
shot with more than one ball, and most
of the shots had been fired into the flank
the hip-Jolnt and last ribs. The balls
generally ranged forward through the
vItals. Many of these buffaloes were shot
at such close range that the flash of the
powder singed the hair on the hides.
| The whole affair was a butchering,-
not hunting, such as sportsmen like
but 1t was very Systematically performed
! When the last animal was down we all
gathered around the lake, dismounted
watered our horses, turned them out To
feed, and rested. Runners were sent
out 10 notify the camp, and before long
we could see those who had not engaged
IN the hunt approaching, singing and re-
joicing. When they arrived camp was
quickly arranged, the priest celebrated
mass IN the open air, and that over, he
counted the animals and divided them
among the families, seemingly very i'm
partially, regardless of the extra labor and
| skill OF some Of the individual hunters.
many Of whom had killed several. while
others, according to their own statement,
mad not succeeded in bringing down a sin
gle buffalo.
| The division being accomplished. the
women, children, and men who had not
| taken part in the hunt went to work In
SKIN me animals allotted as their share,
pinned the skins on the ground to dry, and
cut the meat into thin slices like steak
and hung it on poles to cure
| The ar in this latitude is so pure and
rare that fresh meat will thoroughly drv
and become like raWhide and keen a
long time before it will faint or spoil. These
people are experts in this business; not a
particle of the animal is wasted or de-
stroyed. The skins are tanned later when
the hunters return to their settlements
In Manitoba. The brains of the animals
are used for tanning Every Darticje of
meat is cured. The tallow is rendered
out, and even the bones are pounded nm.
and the marrow is extracted and saved In
| cases made of the bladder of the animal.
and Is used instead of butter-a better
substitute than oleomargarine.
BUFFALO JERK"
After the meat is cured it is called buffalo
jerk, and looks black. 1t is pounded with
a stone mallet or "nigger-head" until il
| becomes fibrous mass, and then packed
| in sacks made of buffalo skin The rem
dered talloW Is poured over while hot, the
sack is carefully sewed up, and the seam
| coated over with waterproof coating of
pitch, made from kind of rosin weed.
The sack is then buried in the ground
for time, and goes through "a curing
process, and it is then called pemmican'
| and Is very nouriShing. A man can sub
sist longer on it and travel farther than ON
any other food OF the same weight or bulk
When cut into slices or chunks it looks
| like head-cheeSe, and tastes "a good deal
like tallow candles, for there is not a par
tlcle oil salt or spice Of any kind used
| Aug. 1S.-We have crossed the Choteaus.
and are on the west slope, and are canned
on Moure River. | caught nice string of
trout to-day, and our mess is living high,
Our COW Is getting fat. She is becoming
used to soldering. and carries her large
pack very demurely; but her supply of
milk has diminished, and it tastes strong
and bitter. From this point we start for
the Missouri River, and will follow the
trail OF Indians made about week ago.
Buffalos are in sight continually, and
/ nave been Tor days, in numbers too vast
10 even venture an approximate estimate
1hey seem TO Craze quietly enough lust
beyond gunshot range, and we are not
allowed to shoot any, except for actual
| use-a very nice order, but not always
obeyed. Sometimes portions of this vast
nero will get heightened and stampede
the others, and small herd, in their frenzy
to get away, ran through our wagon
train, upsetting some wagons and frighten-
ing mules and drivers. One Vounp
buffalo became tangled in the chains of a
slX-mule team, and it was a show as good
as circus to watch the mules plunge and
kick, with the buffalo struggling and bel
lowing between them. -
(To be oontinued.)