| Summary: | also saw to it that his home was abundantly provided for. Their custom was to have their winter home at the foot of the Paubian hills (now known as Walhalla). Here A. Henry and the Kittsons had kept trading posts for the Northwest and Hudson Bay Fur Companies for a period of forty years. They were rivals for the fur trade and at times caused almost civil war among the people. Amenable relations, however, were established in 1858, as we shall see later. This was the winter home of the hunters and they left in May for the first hunt. At first Mr. Monette remembers only hunting in Pembina and Cavalier counties, but the hunters drove the buffalo farther and farther away until the hunting was too poor to sustain the band here and the Turtle Mountains became the goal. They had two hunts each year. The first was from May to July at which time the products of the chase, such as hides, pemmican, muscle and dried meat were brought back. They remained at Walhalla long enought to store these tons of supplies and left for the second hunt about August 1st, remaining as long as the weather was fit for the families to live out on the plains. The entire band went on these hunts, 800 to 1,000 people, men, women and little children, practically the village, though precaution was taken in case they meet the Dakotas or Sioux with whom they were at enmity, or that they might visit St. Joseph in their absence and kill the helpless ones. Reverence for their religious leaders was the same whether in the village, on the battle field, or in the chase. The priest held services before and after every hunt — also instructing the women and children and ministering to the sick or giving sacrament to the dying. In all he did in Christ's name, he was referred to as a man of God. If he was called away they sent some one to meet him on his return as much as ten miles they would run to bear him company home. In the same way they bid him God speed when he left for a journey. If they met him going to attend the dying and carrying with him the articles for hold sacrament, they fell on their knees and remained in an attitude of prayer until he passed by. Socially they felt him as much their superior as we do our president. The Sabbath was kept sacred, shooting was not allowed. Before the hunt special services were held when all would say their beads praying for a successful hunt and a safe return. Strict justice was enacted, they were thoroughly organized, obeying implicitly their commanders. When the buffalo were in sight the chief hunters held council, captains and leaders were chosen and they consulted as to the best method of procedure. Usually a capable man was chosen for a scout and he was sent out to find out the position and number of the herd. Instruction was then given to all as to how to act for the success of the hunt and the safetly of the hunters. No one was allowed to rush into the herd with the best horse killing and scaring the herd, all must start at a signal and every man was encouraged to kill his full share. They protected the game as best they could. They were instructed to aim only at the fat, well developed animals and never to kill a calf. Hunting was done altogether on horseback, the horses apparently enjoying the sport as much as a race horse now enjoys the track. When all is in readiness the band starts off no faster than an easy trot, the buffalo trotting too, this pace is steadily increased and the buffalo are on the run and the horses almost up among them, until the most advantageous position to the herd is obtained. The hunters then drop their reins on the ponies necks to handle their guns, loading and shooting as they go and all the time guiding the pony by the swaying of their bodies. The herd will never run with the wind, but will invariably turn and face the wind. They usually run the herd six or seven miles, killing as many as possible. The dust was often so dense as to make it hard to see the buffalo although they might blacken a large piece of country. Mr. Monette tells of returning from one of these hunting expeditions in 1871. He and Josette, an older sister, had been hired by his brother-in-law, James Fidney, to hunt with him that year. They had started back to St. Joe and when one mile below Olga, on the bank of the river, they saw two buffalo lying sleeping. They crawled up and shot one as it lay and the other as it attempted to rise. As they had all the load their carts could hold, they covered them up with fresh raw hides, made scarecrows out of their coats to frighten the wolves and went on home. Coming back the next day, they found them all right. The Carrivoix house stands now very near the spot where this occurred. The largest herd of buffalo Mr. Monette ever saw at one time was in 1875, when he went to winter at the Milk River. He would like to say he saw "millions," but believes they did number a great many thousands. He compares them to the shocks in our wheat fields, as far as the eye could see they covered the landscape. He and two old hunters had gotten separated from their party, when this great herd came in sight. This was on the line between Montana and Canada, the animals were feeding quietly most of the time and they were not alarmed, but they really suffered for want of water in those two days. There were so many of them and they constantly walked in the river so that the water was riled and unfit for drinking. On the second day and just before leaving, the buffalo became strangely agitated, bawling in an uneathly manner, biting with their teeth dead buffalo carcasses, which were still lying on the ground from a previous hunt. These they trampled with their feet, sometimes throwing large chunks of flesh into* the air. At times they would rub their head and breast to the ground, making hideous noises, and in every way indicating great distress. The old hunters 230 Scanned with a Zeutschel Zeta book scanner at 300 dpi. Edited with Multi-Page TIFF Editor.
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