Buffalo 251 



agerie, he saw the first American Bison to be viewed by 

 European eyes. The menagerie and the beast are thus de- 

 scribed"' by Antonio de SoHs (Conquest of Mexico, 1684): 



" In the second Square of the same House were the Wild 

 Beasts, which were either presents to Montezuma, or taken by 

 his Hunters, in strong Cages of Timber, ranged in good Order, 

 and under Cover; Lions, Tygers, Bears, and all others of the 

 savage Kind which New-Spain produced; among which the 

 greatest Rarity was the Mexican Bull : a wonderful composition 

 of divers Animals. It has crooked Shoulders, with a Bunch 

 on its Back like a Camel; its Flanks dry, its Tail large, and its 

 Neck covered with Hair like a Lion. It is cloven-footed, its 

 Head armed like that of a Bull, which it resembles in Fierce- 

 ness, with no less Strength and Agility." 



But this was at least three hundred miles from the natural 

 range of the Bison, which, as a wild animal, had yet to be dis- 

 covered. This discovery took place nine years later, and again 

 the honour fell to a Spaniard. In 1530, Alva Nuiiez Cabeza 

 de Vaca was wrecked on the Gulf Coast. Travelling inland 

 to what is now south-eastern Texas, he met with the Bison on 

 its native range. So far as I know this was the first meeting 

 of the wild American Buffalo and the gun-bearing white man. 

 Cabeza's remarks are brief but clear:® 



" Cattle come as far as this. I have seen them three times, 

 and eaten of their meat. I think they are about the size of 

 those in Spain. They have small horns like those of Morocco, 

 and the hair long and flocky, like that of the Merino. Some 

 are light brown (pardiUas), and others black. To my judg- 

 ment, the flesh is finer and sweeter than that of this country 

 [Spain]. The Indians make blankets of those that are not 

 full grown, and of the larger they make shoes and bucklers. 

 They come as far as the seacoast of Florida [now Texas] and 

 in a direction from the north, and range over a district of 

 more than 400 leagues. In the whole extent of plain over 

 which they roam, the people, who live bordering upon it, de- 



* Quoted by Homaday, Ext. Am. Bison, 1889, p. 373. 

 'Davis's Spanish Conquest of New Mexico, 1869, p. 67. 



