Indian Tribes of the Upper Missouri: Edited with Notes and Biographical SketchDenig, Edwin Thompson
History
Indian Tribes of the Upper Missouri: Edited with Notes and Biographical Sketch
Denig, Edwin Thompson
Assiniboine Indians; Indians of North America -- Missouri River Valley
The party proceeds in this order, taking every advantage of concealment
the country affords in hills, coulees, bushes, long grass, etc.,
endeavoring to get around them. As soon, however, as they are close and
see a movement among the buffalo intimating flight, they push their
horses at full speed, and riding entirely round commence shooting the
buffalo, which run in the direction of the footmen, these in their
turn shoot, and the animals are driven back toward the horses. In this
way they are kept running nearly in a circle until very tired, and the
greater part are killed. Those on horseback shoot arrows into all they
can at the distance of from 2 to 6 paces, and the footmen load and fire
as often as the animals come near them.
A “surround” party of 80 to 100 persons will in this way kill from 100
to 500 buffalo in the course of an hour. As soon as possible the women
get to work skinning and cutting up the animals. The tongue, hide, and
four best pieces are the property of the one who killed it, and the
rest belongs to those who skin it. When the men have stopped killing
and turned their horses loose to graze they commence with their women,
and the work being divided among so many is soon gotten through with.
If any disputes occur as to the right to the hides or meat, they are
settled on the spot by the soldiers; but these disputes do not often
occur, as they generally all have as many hides and as much meat as
they can pack home. The meat is cut in long, thick slices, merely
detaching it from the bones, and leaving the carcass on the plains.
It is packed home on their horses and dogs. Before leaving, however,
they all make a hearty meal of raw liver, raw kidneys, raw stomach, and
cow’s nose, with other parts in the same state, and the blood being
thus smeared over all their faces presents a savage appearance.
On arrival in camp if the soldiers wish the tongues, each one throws
his down at the soldiers’ lodge in passing, or sends it to them. Each
also furnishes a piece of meat for that lodge, and all the old and
feeble are supplied by their relatives who have been to the hunt. The
chief has no interference in all these matters. He sometimes hunts and
works the same as the others, but generally sends some of his sons or
other relations with his horses for meat. They never use the gun on
horseback or the bow on foot after game. The former they can not load
while running and the latter is not calculated to shoot with certainty
any distance over 10 paces.
THROWING BUFFALO IN A PARK.—This is the most ancient mode of hunting,
and probably the only successful one prior to the introduction of
firearms and horses, as their bows and arrows are insufficient for
killing buffalo on foot. We know of no nation now except the Assiniboin
and Cree who practice it, because all the rest are well supplied with
horses that can catch the buffalo, therefore they are not compelled to
resort to these means to entrap them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account