Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-08-06
Importance to Indians

A"A bDE' ~
dwelling and office ornaments.
Importance to Indians
The passing of the buffalo spelled
disaster to the plains Indians. for this
animal furnished everything, practi-
cally. that the Indian needed to live.
The hide was dressed in a variety of
ways. each special treatment having
its particular use. The lodge of the
Indian. his bed and covering when
! sleeping. his clothes. his 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 or
nament-all these and many other ar
ticles were made from the buffalo robe.
His bones, also, from the short. curved,
strong horns to the hoofs were manu-
featured into an endless variety of
articles that entered into every part
Of the domestic life of the Indian.
The methods of capture Of the buff
falo by the Indians and whites were
various. With the Indians. wholesale
destruction was commonly resorted to
by driving a big herd at full gallon
10 the brink of a precipice or into the
mouth of an articifial enclosure. The
IoI't VI III ids FIiIl NIbHtltU iH0Sp
in advance ahead until they fell on each
other at the foot of the cliff or in the
enclosure. and thus they were slaugh-
tered by hundreds.
A great deal of skill. as well as
favoring condition of the wind. made
the success of this maneuyer com
plete. These hunts were matters of
great ceremony with the Indians.
Days and weeks were devoted 10 the
preparation. with the most rigid laws
against individual hunting or frightcn-
ing of the herds. and there was due
observance of the established religious
rites of the tribes.
THE Surround" Attack
The true sportsman-like attack was
by direct onslaught on horseback.
known as 'the surround" 1t was man
aged with the same ceremonious pre-
liminaries that were observed in all
great buffalo hunts by the Indians. The
attack was made in careful order, I'M
der strict discipline. directly upon the
herd until the latter had fully scented
the danger, when the hunters broke in
TO a wild galIop each free to 20 where
he chose. chasing and Staying amid the
thunder Of hoofs. the believing of the
beasts and the clouds of dust raised in
the mad rush of so many animals.
SO completely panic-stricken would
these mighty herds become. and so lit
tie sensible of where to flee that most
Of them fell victims to their pursuers
and the ground would soon be strewn
with dead bodies. Then for DAYS the
women would be busy gathering the
meat. hides and other fruits of the few
hours hunt.
One of the picturesque types of the
early days on the plains was the white
buffalo hunter. At first these men
used to hunt buffalo on horseback.
much after the manner of the Indians.
using. however .long-barreled. mnzzle-
loading guns and carrying in their hands
the ramrods used to press home the
powder and ball after each shot had
been fired. Later, when the exter-
mination of the species was proceed
ing in full swing. still hunting was
practiced. This was q simple, effective
method Of slaughter.
The hunter would crawl from the
leeward to within sure rifle shot with
being discovered . Then, choosing
the best concealment the ground af-
forded. he would begin the work of de-
struction by firing at the nearest ami
NAL. The buffalo, seeing nothing and
hearing only the report. would usually
quiet in wonderment. Presently
the wounded animal would fall and the
smelling it's blood, would gather /
round and try to make it rise or else
go on grazing, evidently thinking that
heir companion had lain down to rest.
the hunters rifle would be
busy. Shot after shot would bring
DOWN victim after victim until the whole
band had been killed.
Hard Animal to Kill
The buffalo was a hard animal to
kill. A bAl upon it's shaggy head or
neck was DETECTED as though from q !