UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 311 



row channel between Tclmtkinoss, and the opposite headlands of Ame- 

 rica." 



Admitting the fact, which Pennant and others have laboured to 

 prove, that the two Continents formerly joined, what evidence have 

 we that these animals did not migrate origionally from the New to 

 the Old world ? But our limits will not allow a disquisition on this 

 subject ; and in spite of all the ingenious hypotheses of the philoso- 

 phers of Europe, sonic of whom consider the animals of the Western 

 world mere varieties of their own "inore generous stuck," we are of 

 the opinion that the American Bison differs essentially from that of 

 Europe and Asia, and that it claims to be ranked as a distinct species. 



These animals have an extensive range, behjg found in the coun- 

 tries six hundred miles west of Hudson's Bay, in Canada to the \\ e~t 

 of the lakes, and in New Mexico. They are not found in South Ame- 

 rica. The banks of the Ohio, within the memory of some of the pre- 

 sent inhabitants of that country, were enlivened with herds of Buffa- 

 loes ; and the plains of Indiana and Illinois were their places of fa- 

 vourite resort, but encroaching settlements have driven them we<t. 



At the river Kanzas the party of Lewis and Clark saw the first 

 Buff aloe, and they found them us high as near the dividing ridge, 

 which separates the waters of the Columbia from those of the Mis- 

 souri. To the westward of the Rocky Mountains the)- were not dis- 

 covered. 



At Big Dry-river the exploring party found these animals so tame, 

 that they were obliged to drive them out of the way with sticks anil 

 stones. It is almost incredible what numbers of Bisons congregate: 

 upwards of twenty thousand have been seen in a grove ; and the noise 

 they make in bellowing, and trampling on the earth, when such mul- 

 titudes herd together, is said to be (indescribable. In winding around 

 the hills which border the Missouri, these animals contribute greatly 

 to the picturesque effect of the scenery of that interesting river.* 



The rutting season of the Bison commences about the first of Au- 

 gust. When that period is past, the great body of females sepa- 

 rate from the males, and it is not unusal to see many thousand to- 

 gether of one sex only. It has been particularly observed of the fe- 

 males, that when they calve they are removed at a considerable dis- 

 tance from the feeding ground of the other sex.f We may call this 

 instinct, but it is something more. Nature has taught the female to 

 be attentive to the wants of their offspring, to attend them while in a 

 tinder state, and to lead them no farther that their strength will ad- 

 mit. They are likewise taught, whether by experience or other- 

 wise, that the ungovernable males are not influenced by the same 

 feelings, and that amidst their overwhelming ranks the poor calves 

 would be as clods of earth, or as the grass of the vallies. 



The Indians have various ways of obtaining these animals, which 

 afford them an esteemed food, and clothing of great value. They 

 hunt them on horseback, killing the animals with spears and arrows ; 

 attack them in the Spring on the floating ice, and when the herds 

 cross the rivers ; and drive them down precipices, which last mode 

 is sometimes attended with great slaughter. For a particular account 

 of all these matters, we must refer the reader to the History of the 

 expedition under the command of Lewis and Clark, J and Views of 

 Louisiana by Mr. Brackenridge. 



* Views of Louisiana, p. 263. J Vol. i, p. 175, 235. 



f Pike's Exp. Appendix to part ii, p. 5. \ Page 255. 



