rise again.  We proceeded two miles farther, when, coming out upon a small open space, he told me the animal was at no great distance, and very probably in this meadow.  We accordingly advanced a few yards, and there we found the deer lying at the last gasp.  The wound was exactly as I had been told.  The sagacity of the Saulteurs [Ojibwes] in tracing big wood animals is astonishing.  I have frequently witnessed occurrences of this nature; the bend of a leaf or blade of grass is enough to show the hunter the direction the game has taken.  Their ability is of equally great service to war parties, when they discover the footsteps of their enemies.”

The Assiniboin Indians (a branch of the Sious) down to about fifty years ago captured the bison of the plains in hundreds at a time by driving them into large excavated areas below the level of the ground.

Alexander Henry, jun., gives the following description of this procedure in 1810:—­

“The pounds are of different dimensions, according to the number of tents in one camp.  The common size is from sixty to one hundred paces or yards in circumference, and about five feet in height.  Trees are cut down, laid upon one another, and interwoven with branches and green twigs; small openings are left to admit the dogs to feed upon the carcasses of the (old) bulls, which are generally left as useless.  This enclosure is commonly made between two hummocks, on the declivity or at the foot of rising ground.  The entrance is about ten paces wide, and always fronts the plains.  On each side of this entrance commences a thick range of fascines, the two ranges spreading asunder as they extend to the distance of one hundred yards, beyond which openings are left at intervals; but the fascines soon become more thinly planted, and continue to spread apart to the right and left until each range has been extended about three hundred yards from the pound.  The labour is then diminished by only placing at intervals three or four cross sticks, in imitation of a dog or other animal (sometimes called ’dead men’); these extend on the plain for about two miles, and double rows of them are planted in several other directions to a still greater distance.  Young men are usually sent out to collect and bring in the buffalo—­a tedious task, which requires great patience, for the herd must be started by slow degrees.  This is done by setting fire to dung or grass.  Three young men will bring in a herd of several hundred from a great distance.  When the wind is aft it is most favourable, as they can then direct the buffalo with great ease.  Having come in sight of the ranges, they generally drive the herd faster, until it begins to enter the ranges, where a swift-footed person has been stationed with a buffalo robe over his head, to imitate that animal; but sometimes a horse performs this business.  When he sees buffaloes approaching he moves slowly toward the pound until they appear to follow him; then