The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1923-08-10

the old days IN countless luOuSdnus
Is conceded by old plainsmen an
army officers of the sos and '70s t
have been the main solution of tn
Indian question. In the early days
when this noble game animal roame
over what was then called 9Th
Great American Desert" the red ma
placed no dependence upon tn
s'Great Father at Washington TO
food and raiment, for it was the buf
falo, chiefly, which furnished hin
both.
Nearly every part of the body o
the buffalo was utilized, and yer.
little went to waste in an Indial
camp. There was variety of way.
of dressing the skin of the animal
depending upon the use to which i
was to be put; but the hide itsel1
furnished the "noble red man" will
a lodge and covering to sleep upon
some of his weapons of war (chiefly
the shield, which was made from the
very thick tough hide of the buffalo's
neck) "bull boats" for crossing the
streams, material for his saddle
halters for his ponies, hair for orna-
mental purposes, while many other
articles of Indian use came from the
skin of this great beast.
When the herds began to be deci-
mated by the ruthless white hide
hunters, every part of the flesh of
the buffalo found ready use among
the Indians. Even the intestines
were often eaten raw during the pro-
cess of butchering and cutting up.
Old-time hunters and trappers all
agreed that the flesh of the buffalo
especially that of a young cow or calf
was an ideal meat, and | have
heard many old former buffalo hunt
ers assert that civilized beef was no
comparison. Others have contended
that it was tough and stringy. Yet
other authorities state that many an
invalid has gone out on the plains
and recovered his health with no
shelter but the sky and no food but
the flesh of the buffalo.
"Jerked buffalo" was one of the
most common of foods in the old
plains days. 1t was cut into very
thin strips and hung up in the open
air to dry. The pure plains atmos-
phere was such that the meat cured
quickly and would keep indefinitely
when thus prepared. Another article
of food made by the Indians from
the flesh of the buffalo was "pemmi-
can" The thin strips of meat were
dried until hard and crisp, after
which they were pulverized and mix
ed with certain amount of buffalo
fat or ta1low. This preparation was
then packed inside skin bags, sealed
tightly and stored away for future
use. 1t is said to have been one of
the most nutritious of foods.
In spite of the fact that the plains
country was practically treeless, save
along the banks of streams, the
or no difficulty in procuring plenty |
of fuel with which to prepare his
meals. The dried dung of the buff
falo, commonly called buffalo /
chips" made a most excellent sub
stitute for wood, and burned readily,
with a hot, smokeless flame, and
everywhere throughout the buffalo
range was found in great quantities,
and was always handy.
Although the buffalo was ordinar-
ly not considered pugnacious or dam
serous, when wounded this ponder
BUS brute made a most formidable
and would often turn
against its pursuer and disembowel
| horse. Buffalo hunting from horse
,ack was considered the peer of all
ports in the '70s. Hunting the ami
nal thus was the favorite Indian (
method of slaughter. It's vision was
lot keen, and it depended upon its ]
ense of smell to warn it that enc {
MES were near. When great herds
# countless thousands of these huge :,
nimals were stampeded they turned |
side for nothing, but rushed madly {
long, needless of anything, often to I
heir own destruction.
The Indian method of hunting was S
enerally by what was termed a
surround" The attack was made {
nder carefully-prepared methods, y
nd attended by the most solemn ce- q
emonial proceedings prior to the y
unit These surrounds we're q
ig disorder The buffalo was diff t
cult animal to kill unless a bullet O
r arrow pierced the heart. v
But it was by the tstill-hunting" il
Iethod that the American bison was c
ractically exterminated by the white
ian. AS the name suggests, the t,
unter approached his quarry c
ealthily, under cover as much as r.
3ssible, a convenient coulee or ra- D
ne often serving to allow the slayer a.
approach within a very short dis d
nee of the herd. Unless scented, Y,
10 hunter was then ready for the tt
aughter. The gun in general use r
nong these hide-hunters was the m
d Sharps rifle of AS and so cali tt
IT, shooting from 80 to 125 grains al
powder and from $50 to 600 al
aims of lead. The killer would sa
read his loaded shells on the in
ound, or in his hat, and commence
ION the nearest animals. The re- ca
rt of the rifle seldom alarmed til
e herd, and as long as the shooter 81
NAMED out of sight, it was the TO
KIT thing to shooting tame cattle in be
open pasture. When a wounded Or
imal fell, the others would regard W;
cir fallen companion in apparent an
Underwent, and, smelling the blood, la
ey would gather about the stricken to
ffalo, often goring and looking at pc
but not understanding its predica- gn