OFF TO THE BUFFALO.
Alexander Ross was a Scottish Highlander, who came to Glengarry in
Canada, quite a century ago, joined Astor's expedition, went around Cape
Horn and in British Columbia rose to be an officer in the Northwest
Company. He married the daughter of an Indian Chief at Okanagan, came
over the Rocky Mountains, and was given by Sir George Simpson a free
gift of a farm, where Ross and James Streets are now found in Winnipeg.
This land is to-day worth many millions of dollars. Ross was also fond
of hunting the buffalo, and we are fortunate in having his spirited
story of 1840.
BUFFALO HUNTING.
In the leafy month of June carts were seen to emerge from every nook and
corner of the Settlement bound for the plains. As they passed us, many
things were discovered to be still wanting, to supply which a halt had
to be made at Fort Garry shop; one wanted this thing, another that, but
all on credit. The day of payment was yet to come; but payment was
promised. Many on the present occasion were supplied, many were not;
they got and grumbled, and grumbled and got, till they could get no
more; and at last went off, still grumbling and discontented.
From Fort Garry the cavalcade and camp-followers were crowding on the
public road, and thence, stretching from point to point, till the third
day in the evening, when they reached Pembina, the great rendezvous of
such occasions. When the hunters leave the Settlement it enjoys that
relief which a person feels on recovering from a long and painful
sickness. Here, on a level plain, the whole patriarchal camp squatted
down like pilgrims on a journey to the Holy Land, in ancient days: only
not so devout, for neither scrip nor staff were consecrated for the
occasion. Here the roll was called, and general muster taken, when they
numbered on the occasion 1,630 souls: and here the rules and regulations
for the journey were finally settled. The officials for the trip were
named and installed into their office, and all without the aid of
writing materials.
The camp occupied as much ground as a modern city, and was formed in a
circle: all the carts were placed side by side, the trams outward.
Within this line, the tents were placed in double, treble rows, at one
end; the animals at the other in front of the tents. This is the order
in all dangerous places: but when no danger is feared, the animals are
kept on the outside. Thus, the carts formed a strong barrier, not only
for securing the people and the beasts of burden within, but as a place
of shelter and defence against an attack of the enemy without.
There is, however, another appendage belonging to the expedition, and to
every expedition of the kind; and you may be assured they are not the
least noisy. We allude to the dogs or camp followers. On the present
occasion they numbered no fewer than 542; sufficient of themselves to
consume no small number of animals a day, for, like their masters, they
dearly relish a bit of buffalo meat.
These animals are kept in summer as they are, about the establishments
of the fur traders, for their services in the winter. In deep snows,
when horses cannot conveniently be used, dogs are very serviceable to
the hunters in these parts. The half-breed, dressed in his wolf costume,
tackles two or three sturdy curs into a flat sled, throws himself on it
at full length, and gets among the buffalo unperceived. Here the bow and
arrow play their part to prevent noise; and here the skillful hunter
kills as many as he pleases, and returns to camp without disturbing the
band.
But now to our camp again--the largest of its kind perhaps in the world.
A council was held for the nomination of chiefs or officers for
conducting the expedition. Two captains were named, the senior on this
occasion being Jean Baptiste Wilkie, an English half-breed brought up
among the French, a man of good sound sense and long experience, and
withal a bold-looking and discreet fellow, a second Nimrod in his way.
Besides being captain, in common with others, he was styled the great
war chief or head of the camp, and on all public occasions he occupied
the place of president.
The hoisting of the flag every morning is the signal for raising camp.
Half an hour is the full time allowed to prepare for the march, but if
anyone is sick, or their animals have strayed, notice is sent to the
guide, who halts until all is made right. From the time the flag is
hoisted however, till the hour of camping arrives, it is never taken
down. The flag taken down is a signal for encamping, while it is up the
guide is chief of the expedition, captains are subject to him, and the
soldiers of the day are his messengers, he commands all. The moment the
flag is lowered his functions cease and the captains and soldiers'
duties commence. They point out the order of the camp, and every cart as
it arrives moves to its appointed place. This business usually occupies
about the same time as raising camp in the morning, for everything moves
with the regularity of clockwork.
The captains and other chiefs have agreed on rules to govern the
expedition, such as, that no buffaloes are to be run on Sunday, no party
is to lag behind or to go before, no one may run a buffalo without a
general order, etc. The punishment for breaking the laws are for a first
offence: the offender had his saddle and bridle cut up: for the second,
to have the coat taken off his back and cut up: for the third, the
offender was flogged. Any theft was punished by the offender being three
times proclaimed "THIEF," in the middle of the camp.
On the 21st of June, after the priest had performed mass, for many were
Roman Catholics, the flag was unfurled at about six or seven o'clock and
the picturesque line was formed over the prairie, extending some five or
six miles towards the southwest. It was the ninth was gained. This was a
journey of about 150 day from Pembina before the Cheyenne River miles,
and on the nineteenth day, at a distance of 250 miles, the destined
hunting grounds were reached. On the 4th of July, since the encampment
was in the United States, the compliment was paid of having the first
buffalo race.
No less than 400 huntsmen, all mounted and anxiously waiting for the
word "Start," took up their position in a line at one end of the camp,
while Captain Wilkie issued his orders.
[Illustration: HERD OF BUFFALOES FEEDING ON THE HIGH PLAINS]
At eight o'clock the whole cavalcade broke ground, and made for the
buffaloes. When the horsemen started the buffaloes were about a mile and
a half distant, but when they approached to about four or five hundred
yards, the bulls curled their tails or pawed the ground. In a moment
more the herd took flight, and horse and rider are presently seen
bursting upon them, shots are heard, and all is smoke, dust and hurry,
and in less time than we have occupied with a description a thousand
carcasses strew the plain.
When the rush was made, the earth seemed to tremble as the horses
started, but when the animals fled, it was like the shock of an
earthquake. The air was darkened, the rapid firing, at first, soon
became more and more faint, and at last died away in the distance.
In such a run, a good horse and experienced rider will select and kill
from ten to twelve buffaloes at one heat, but in the case before us, the
surface was rocky and full of badger holes. Twenty-three horses and
riders were at one moment all sprawling on the ground, one horse gored
by a bull, was killed on the spot, two more were disabled by the fall.
One rider broke his shoulder blade, another burst his gun, and lost
three fingers by the accident, another was struck on the knee by an
exhausted bull. In the evening no less than 1,375 tongues were brought
into camp. When the run is over the hunter's work is now retrograde. The
last animal killed is the first skinned, and night not unfrequently,
surprises the runner at his work. What then remains is lost and falls to
the wolves. Hundreds of dead buffaloes are often abandoned, for even a
thunderstorm, in one hour, will render the meat useless.
The day of a race is as fatiguing on the hunter as on the horse, but the
meat well in the camp, he enjoys the very luxury of idleness.
Then the task of the women begins, who do all the rest, and what with
skins, and meat and fat, their duty is a most laborious one.
It is to be regretted that much of the meat is wasted. Our expedition
killed not less than 2,500 buffaloes, and out of all these made 375 bags
of pemmican, and 240 bales of dried meat; 750 animals should have made
that amount, so that a great quantity was wasted. Of course, the buffalo
skins were saved and had their value.
Our party were now on the Missouri and encamped there. A few traders
went to the nearest American fort, and bartered furs for articles they
needed.
After passing a week on the banks of the Missouri we turned to the West,
when we had a few races with various success. We were afterwards led
backwards and forwards at the pleasure of the buffalo herds. They
crossed and recrossed our path until we had travelled to almost every
point of the compass.
Having had various altercations with the Indians, the party reached Red
River, bringing about 900 lbs. of buffalo meat in each cart, making more
than one million pounds in all. The Hudson's Bay Company took a
considerable amount of this, and the remainder went to supply the wants
of the Red River Settlement for another year.