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THE AMERICAN BISONS. 221 
1871 I made extensive inquiries as to the possibility of the buffalo being 
domesticated and trained to work, and while the general opinion seemed to 
be that such a thing was wholly feasible, I could not learn that it had been 
properly attempted. I heard of instances where buffaloes had been broken 
to the yoke, and, though strong and serviceable, they were at times rather 
unmanageable. When on a journey they are liable, it is said, when thirsty, 
“to break for water,” rushing precipitately down the steep banks of the 
nearest stream to slake their thirst, dragging after them the wagon to which 
they may be attached, with, of course, rather unpleasant results. 
The fate of extermination so surely awaits, sooner or later, the buffalo in 
its wild state that its domestication becomes a matter of great interest, and 
is well worthy of the attention of intelligent stock-growers, some of whom 
should be willing to take a little trouble to perpetuate the pure race in a 
domestic state. The attempt can be hardly regarded otherwise than as an 
enterprise that would eventually yield a satisfactory and probably a profit- 
able result, with the possibility of adding another valuable domestic animal 
to those we already possess. It seems probable, also, that a mixed race 
might be reared to good advantage. 
