Whenever he can get sufficiently near for a
ball to penetrate the beast's hide he fires and seldom fails of bringing
the animal down; though of course he cannot rest the piece against the
shoulder nor take a deliberate aim. On this service the hunter is often
exposed to considerable danger from the fall of his horse in the numerous
holes which the badgers make in these plains, and also from the rage of
the buffalo which when closely pressed often turns suddenly and, rushing
furiously on the horse, frequently succeeds in wounding it or dismounting
the rider. Whenever the animal shows this disposition which the
experienced hunter will readily perceive he immediately pulls up his
horse and goes off in another direction.
When the buffaloes are on their guard horses cannot be used in
approaching them; but the hunter dismounts at some distance and crawls in
the snow towards the herd, pushing his gun before him. If the buffaloes
happen to look towards him he stops and keeps quite motionless until
their eyes are turned in another direction; by this cautious proceeding a
skilful person will get so near as to be able to kill two or three out of
the herd. It will easily be imagined this service cannot be very
agreeable when the thermometer stands 30 or 40 degrees below zero as
sometimes happens in this country.
As we were returning from the tents the dogs that were harnessed to three
sledges, in one of which Mr. Back was seated, set off in pursuit of a
buffalo-calf. Mr. Back was speedily thrown from his vehicle and had to
join me in my horse-cariole. Mr. Heriot, having gone to recover the dogs,
found them lying exhausted beside the calf which they had baited until it
was as exhausted as themselves. Mr. Heriot, to show us the mode of
hunting on horseback or as the traders term it, running of the buffalo,
went in chase of a cow and killed it after firing three shots.
The buffalo is a huge and shapeless animal quite devoid of grace or
beauty; particularly awkward in running but by no means slow; when put to
his speed he plunges through the deep snow very expeditiously; the hair
is dark brown, very shaggy, curling about the head, neck, and hump, and
almost covering the eye, particularly in the bull which is larger and
more unsightly than the cow. The most esteemed part of the animal is the
hump, called by the Canadians bos, by the Hudson's Bay people the wig; it
is merely a strong muscle on which nature at certain seasons forms a
considerable quantity of fat.
