The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1922-08-11
Importance of the Buffalo
To Indians of the Plains

The passing OF the buffalo spell
ed disaster to the plains Indians,
/! for this animal furnished every
thing, practically, that the Indian
needed to live. The hide was dress
ed in a variety of ways, each spe-
cial treatment having its particular
use. The lodge of the Indian, his
bed and covering when sleeping,
his clothes, his weapons of war,
his shield in battle, kettles for his
food, boats on the rivers, leather
for his saddle and halter, strings
for his whip and bow, hair for dress
ornament - all these and many
other articles were made from the
buffalo robe. His bones, also, from
the short, curved, strong horns to
the hoofs were manufactured into
an endless variety of articles that
entered into every part of the dom
este life of the Indian.
The methods of capture of the
buffalo by the Indians and whites
were various. With the Indians,
wholesale destruction was common
ly resorted to by driving a big herd
at full gallop to the brink of a
precipice or into the mouth of an
artificial enclosure. The force of
the mass behind crowded those in
advance ahead until they fell on
each other at the foot of the cliff
or in the enclosure, and thus they
were slaughtered by hundreds. A
great deal of skill, as we'll as favor
ing condition of the wind, made the
of this maneuver complete
These hunts were matters of great |
ceremony with the Indians. Days
and weeks were devoted to the pref
paration, with the most rigid laws
against individual hunting or
frightening of the herds, and there
was due observance of the estab-
Iished religious rites of the tribes.
The true sportsman-like attack
was by direct onslaught on horse /
back, known as "the surround" 1t
was managed with the same cere-
nonious preliminaries that we're
observed in all great buffalo hunts
oy the Indians. The attack was
made in careful order, under strict
discipline, directly upon the herd
Until the latter had fully scented the
LANCER, when the hunters broke in
o a wild gallop, each free to go
where he chose, chasing and slay- !
ny amid the thunder of hoofs, the {
ellowing of the beasts and the !
LIQUIDS of dust raised in the mad
ush of so many animals. So COM 7
lete1y panic-stricken would these
nightly herds become, and so little
ensible of where to flee, that most
f them fell victims to their pur-
uers and the ground would soon \
e strewn with dead bodies. Then .
Or days the women would be busy n
altering the meat, hides and other
-uits of the few hours hunt. r
One of the picturesque types of "
lie early days on the plains was the v
hite buffalo-hunter. At first
lese men used to hunt buffalo on Ii
orseback, much after the manner R
the Indians, using, however, c,
ng-barreled, muzzle-loading guns r,
i'd carrying in their hands the ST
-mrods used to press home the 81
owder and ball after each shot fl
Id been fired. Later, when the fl
Termination Of the species was "
.oceeding in full swing, still =
hitting" was practiced. This was 10
simple, effective method of tt
aughter. The hunter would &c
awl from the leeward to within IL ~
re rifle shot without being dis Ell
rered Then ch0osinC the heet FL