supernatural science. His office it is to decide the moment for driving the bisons into the inclosure, and give the signal for the commencement of the hunt. He plants the medicinemast in the centre of the park, and attaches to it the three charms which are to allure the animals in that direction, viz., a streamer of scarlet cloth two or three yards long, a piece of tobacco and a bison's horn. Every morning at the early dawn he beats his drum, intones his hymns of conjuration, consults his own Wah-kon and the manitous or guidingspirits of the bisons, in order to discover the favorable moment for the chase.
The grandmaster has four runners at his disposal, who go out daily and report to him the true result of their observations; they tell at what distance from the camp the animals are, their probable number, and in what direction the herd is marching. These runners frequently go forty or fifty miles in different directions. In all their courses they take with them a Wah-kon ball, which is intrusted to them by the grandmaster; it is made of buffalo hair and covered with skin. When the runners think that the suitable moment has arrived, they immediately dispatch a man of their number to the grandmaster, with the ball and the good news. So long as the mysterious ball is absent, the master of ceremonies cannot take food; he prolongs this rigorous fast by abstaining from every meat or dish that does not come from some animal killed on the area of the park, until the hunt is over; and as they often remain a month or more awaiting the most favorable moment of beginning, the grandmaster must find himself reduced to very small rations, unless he makes some arrangement with his conscience. It is probable that he eats stealthily at night, for he has no more appearance of fasting than his brethren of the camp.
Let us now suppose all to be in readiness, and the circumstances all favorable to the hunt. The grandmaster of the park beats his drum, to announce that the bisons are in nu merous herds at about fifteen or twenty miles distance. The wind is favorable, and comes directly from the point in