78 THE AMERICAN BISONS. 
buffalo on the Atlantic slope, north of the Potomac, are the following. One 
often quoted is that contained in a letter from Mr. Anthonie Parkhurst to 
Richard Hakluyt, dated 1578, concerning the “true state and commodities of 
they say some Lyons also; for they have been seen at Cape Anne. Also here are severall sorts of Deere, 
some whereof bring three or four young ones at once, which is not ordinarie in England. Also Wolves, 
Foxes, Beavers, Otters, Martins, great wild Cats, and a great Beast called a Molke [moose] as bigge as an 
Oxe. Ihave seen the skins of all these Beasts since I came to this Plantation, excepting Lyons. Also 
here are great store of Squerrels, some greater, and some smaller and lesser; there are some of the lesser 
sort, they tell me, that by a certaine Skin will fly from Tree to Tree though they stand farre distant.” — 
Forcr’s Coll. Hist. Tracts, Vol. I, No. 12, p. 8. 
Thomas Morton, in his “‘ New English Canaan,” printed in 1632, devotes six pages to a description of 
the “beasts,” giving very quaint and curious descriptions of all the more important, but makes no refer- 
ence to any animal like the buffalo. 
Father Andrew White, in describing Maryland in 1632, says, “ But so great is the abundance of swine 
and deer that they are rather troublesome than advantageous. Cows also are innumerable, and oxen suit- 
able for bearing burdens or for food ; besides five other kinds of large beasts unknown to us, which our 
neighbors admit to their table. Sheep will have to be taken hence or from the Canaries; asses also, and 
mules and horses. The neighboring forests are full of wild bulls and heifers, of which five hundred or six 
hundred thousand are annually carried to Saville from that part which lies towards New Mexico. As 
many deer as you wish can be obtained from the neighboring people. Add to this muskrats, rabbits, 
beavers, badgers, and martens, not however destructive, as with us, to eggs and hens.’ — A Relation of the 
Colony of the Lord Baron of Baltimore, in Maryland, near Virginia, etc. (Forcr’s Coll. Hist. Tracis, Vol. 
IV, No. 12, pp. 6, 7.) 
In “ A Perfect Description of Virginia,” printed in London in 1649, is given a list of the ‘ Beasts great 
and small as followeth: above 20 severall kinds,” including all the larger species, but no reference is made 
to the buffalo.— Forcr’s Coll. Hist. Tracts, Vol. I, No. 8, p. 16. 
Tn an “ Account of Virginia in Generall, but particularly Carolana, which comprehends Roanoak and the 
Southern parts of Virginia,” printed in 1650, it is said, “ Nor is the Land any lesse provided of native 
Flesh, Elkes bigger then Oxen, whose hide is admirable Buffe, flesh excellent, and may be made, if kept 
domesticke, as usefull for draught and carriage, ‘as Oxen. Deere in a numerous abundance, and delicate 
Venison, Racoones, Hares, Conyes, Bevers, Squirrell, Beares, all of a delightfull nourishment for food, and 
their Furres rich, warme, and convenient for clothing and Merchandise.” — Forcr’s Coll. Hist. T: racts, 
Vol. 11 No. 11, pp. 115 12. 
Clayton, in his very detailed account of the natural products of Virginia, written in 1688, says, “There 
were neither Horses, Bulls, Cows, Sheep, or Swine, in all the Country, before the coming of the English, 
as I have heard, and have much reason to believe... . . Wild Bulls and Cows there are now in the unin- 
habited Parts, but such only as have been bred from some that have strayed, and become wild, and have 
propagated their kind, and are difficult to be shot, having a great Acuteness of Smelling.” — Forcr’s Coll: 
Hist. Tracts, Vol. Til, No. 12, p. 35. 
This leads to the inference that the frequent allusions to wild bulls and wild cows in the early accounts 
of Virginia, ete., often really refer to domestic cattle that had run wild, 
Many citations of a similar character might be added, containing curious and interesting descriptions of 
the “ beasts,” but none of the enumerations include the buffalo. As these descriptions of the country and 
its products were mostly prepared for the purpose of encouraging emigration, it is not presumable that 
so important an animal as the buffalo would have been omitted if these early writers had ever heard 
of it as existing in any part of the countries they describe. 
