66 THE AMERICAN BISONS. 
them during falls of rain, affording grateful supplies of this important ele- 
ment to the various animals of the region, as well as often to man, these 
pools usually lasting for several days, or until slowly evaporated by the sun. 
The American bison, like the other species of the bovine group, is charac- 
terized by a rather sluggish disposition, and is by no means remarkable for 
alertness or sagacity, being not only unwieldy in bulk, but also “the stupid- 
est animal of the plains.” As Colonel Dodge has remarked, “his enormous 
bulk, shaggy mane, vicious eye, and sullen demeanor give him an appear- 
ance of ferocity very foreign to his nature. Dangerous as he looks, he is; in 
truth, a very mild, inoffensive beast, timid and fearful, and rarely attacking 
but in the last hopeless effort of selfdefence. The domestic cattle of Texas, 
miscalled ‘tame, are fifty times more dangerous to footmen than the fiercest 
buffalo... .. Endowed with the smallest possible amount of instinct, the 
little he has seems adapted rather for getting him into difficulties than out 
of them. If not alarmed at sight or smell of a foe, he will stand stupidly 
gazing at his companions in their death-throes, until the whole herd is shot 
down. He will walk unconsciously into a quicksand or quagmire already 
choked with struggling, dying victims. Having made up his mind to goa 
certain way, it is almost impossible to swerve him from his purpose... . . 
When travelling nothing in his front stops him, but an unusual object in his 
rear will send him to the about at the top of his speed.” * 
In illustration of this curious habit of the buffalo to rush into the most ap- 
parent danger, Colonel Dodge relates the following: “The winter of 1871-72 
was unusually severe in Arkansas. The ponds and smaller streams to the 
north were all frozen solid, and the buffalo were forced to the rivers for water. 
The Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fé Railroad was then in process of con- 
struction, and nowhere could this peculiarity of the buffalo of which I am 
speaking be better studied than from its trains. If a herd was on the north 
side of the track it would stand stupidly gazing and without symptom of 
alarm though the locomotive passed within a hundred yards. If on the 
south side of the track, even though at a distance of one or two miles from 
it, the passage of a train set the whole herd in the wildest commotion. At 
its full speed, and utterly regardless of consequences, it would make for the 
track, on its line of retreat. If the train happened not to be in its path it 
crossed the track, and stopped satisfied. If the train was in the way, each 
individual buffalo went at it with the desperation of despair, plunging against 
* Chicago Inter-Ocean, August 5, 1875. 
