THE INDIAN AND THE BUFFALO

THE BUFFALO WAS THE DEPARTMENT STORE OF THE PLAINS INDIAN. THE FLESH WAS FOOD, THE BLOOD WAS DRINK, SKINS FURNISHED WIGWAMS, ROBES MADE BLANKETS AND BEDS, DRESSED HIDES SUPPLIED MOCCASINS AND CLOTHING, HAIR WAS TWISTED INTO ROPES, RAWHIDE BOUND TOOLS TO HANDLES, GREEN HIDES MADE POTS FOR COOKING OVER BUFFALO-CHIP FIRES, HIDES FROM BULLS' NECKS MADE SHIELDS THAT WOULD TURN ARROWS, RIBS WERE RUNNERS FOR DOG-DRAWN SLEDS, SMALL BONES WERE AWLS AND NEEDLES, FROM HOOVES CAME GLUE FOR FEATHERING ARROWS, FROM SINEWS CAME THREAD AND BOWSTRINGS, FROM HORNS CAME BOWS, CUPS AND SPOONS, AND EVEN FROM GALL STONES A "MEDICINE" PAINT WAS MADE. WHEN THE MILLIONS OF BUFFALO THAT ROAMED THE PRAIRIES WERE EXTERMINATED THE PLAINS TRIBES WERE STARVED INTO SUBMISSION. A FEW SMALL HERDS SAVED THE BUFFALO FROM EXTINCTION AND THERE ARE NOW MORE THAN 22,000 IN NORTH AMERICAN GAME PRESERVES. A HERD MAY BE SEEN JUST SOUTH OF GARDEN CITY.