NORTHERN OCEAN. 
which we pafled, the tracks of martins, foxes, 
quiquehatches, and other animals of the furr kind; 
fo that they were by no means {fcarce: but my 
companions never gave themfelves the Jeaft trou- 
ble to catch any of the three laft mentioned ani- 
mals; for the buffalo, moofe, and beaver engaged 
all their attention ; perhaps principally fo on ac- 
count of the excellency of their flefh; whereas 
the flefh of the fox and quiquehatch are never 
eaten by thofe people, except when they are in 
the greateft diftrefs, and then merely to fave life. 
their reafons for this fhall be given in a fubfequent 
part of my Journal. 
The buffalo in thofe parts, I think, arein gene- 
ral much larger than the Englifh black cattle; 
particularly the bulls, which, though they may 
not in reality be taller than the largeft fize of the 
Englifh oxen, yet to me always appeared to be 
251 
1772. 
as 
January. 
much larger. In fact, they are fo heavy, that 
when fix or eight Indians are in company at the 
fkinning of a large bull, they never attempt to 
turn it over while entire, but when the upper 
fide is fkinned, they cut off the leg and fhoulder, 
rip up the belly, take out all the inteftines, cut off 
the head, and make it as light as poflible, before 
| they turn it to fkin the under fide. The fkin is 
in fome places of an incredible thicknefs, par- 
| ticularly about the neck, where it often exceeds 
| an inch. The horns are fhort, black, and 
almoft ftraight, but very thick at the roots or 
-bafe. 
The 
