‘NORTHERN OCEAN. 
is remarkably open and fpungy, by no means 
equal in goodnefs to that of the fkin of the moofe : 
nor am I certain that the curriers or tanners in 
Europe could manufacture thefe fkins in fuch a 
‘manner as to render them of any confiderable 
value; for, to appearance, they are of the fame 
quality which the fkins of the mufk-ox, which 
are held in fo little eftimation in England, that 
when a number of them was fent home from 
Churchill Factory, the Company iflued out orders 
the year following, that unlefs they could be pur- 
chafed from the Indians at the rate of four fkins 
for one beaver, they would not anfwer the expence 
of fending home; a great proof of their being of 
very little value. , 
The buffalos chiefly delight in wide open 
plains, which in thofe parts produce very long 
coarfe grafs, or rather a kind of {mall flags and 
rufhes, upon which they feed ; but when purfued 
they always take to the woods. They are of 
fuch an amazing ftrength, that when they fly 
through the woods from a purfuer, they frequent- 
ly brufh down trees as thick as a man’s arm ; 
-and be the {now ever fo deep, fuch is their ftrength 
and agility that they are enabled to plunge 
ahrough it fafter than the fwifteft Indian can run 
in fnow-fhoes. ‘Yo this Ihave been an cye-wit- 
ne{s many times, and once had the vanity to think 
that I could have Kept pace with them; but 
| though I was at that time celebrated for sabe 
| particularly fleet of foot in {now-fhoes, 1 foon 
| found 
202 
<J'9 
1772. 
January. 
