hills, a large pound formed
for the purpose of capturing buffalo.

We were hospitably entertained by the Crees, and the night was spent as
our former one had been. The next morning we rode forward to visit the
pound which I will briefly describe. It consisted of a large circle of
stout stakes, driven into the ground perpendicularly, close together.
There was one opening, at the entrance of which a strong tree trunk was
placed about a foot from the ground, and at the inner side an excavation
was made sufficiently deep to prevent the buffalo from leaping back when
once in the pound. From this entrance, on either side, gradually
widening, extended two rows of bushy posts, stuck into the ground about
fifty feet apart. The extreme distance between the outer end of the
rows, which stretched to about four miles into the prairie, was about a
mile and a half. These bushy posts are called dead-men.

Between each of them an Indian was stationed, their business being,
should the buffalo attempt to break through the lines, to show
themselves, furiously waving their robes and immediately again hiding.
This effectually prevents the buffalo, when rushing on at full speed,
from going out of the direct course. The chief invited us to take part
in the sport; which of course we readily consented to do. All
arrangements having been made, a part of the band, numbering some fifty
or sixty men, armed with bows and arrows, with no other garments than
their breech-clouts, set off on horseback in two divisions, followed by
a number of men on foot, who concealed themselves as we went along in
any holes or behind any hillocks they could find.

The two parties gradually separated--the one keeping on one side, the
other on the opposite side of a large herd of buffaloes, which we saw
before us. They both galloped on till they reached the rear of the
herd, leaving a few horsemen behind on the flanks. Having gained this
position, the Indians set up a shout which was almost as terrific as the
war-whoop we had lately heard, and then dashed forward, shouting as they
went.

The startled buffaloes looked round, and seeing no opening free of their
enemies by which they could escape, except that in the direction of the
pound, throwing up their tails and bending down their heads dashed madly
forward towards it. The Indians renewed their shouts, closing in on the
affrighted buffaloes, and every now and then, as a horseman got near the
animals, he