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THE AMEEICAK BISOXS. 



85 



largest known of the true deer^ have been destroyed by human agency/' im- 

 plying their former existence in that State. On inquiry of Professor Cope 



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for the grounds of such an inference he states * that he has found their un- 



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fossihzed bones in superficial deposits in Virginia, and adds : "I think, but 

 will not now assert, fx-om more northern localities." f 



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In Salmon's " Present State of Virginia," printed in 1737, we read that Sir 

 William Berkley sent (apparently about 1733) a small party of " about four- 

 teen English and as many Lidians^ under the Command of Captain Henry 

 Batt," to explore the country to the westward of the settlements in Vir- 

 ginia. " They set out together," says Salmon, "from Appomattox^ and in Seven 

 Days March reach'd the Foot of the Mountains. The Mountains they first 

 arriv'd at were not extraordinary high or steep, but after they had pass'd 

 the first Ridge they encounter'd others that seem'd to reach the Clouds, and 

 were so perpendicular and full of Precipices, that sometimes in a whole Day's 

 March they could not travel three miles in a direct Line. In other Places 

 they found large level Plains and fine Savanna's three or four Miles wide, in 

 which were an infinite quantity of Turkies, Deer, Elks, and Buflixloes, so 

 gentle and undisturbed that they had no Fear at the Appearance of the Men, 

 but would suffer them to come almost within Eeach of their Hands." | This 

 account shows that buffaloes were not seen by the explorers till they entered 



the mountains and encountered the herds" that extended eastward from the 



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valleys of West Virginia. 



Another reference to the supposed occurrence of the buffalo on the eastern 

 slope of the Alleghanies is the discovery by Sir Samuel Argoll of ^' Shag- 

 haired Oxen " in Virginia. In his letter to " Master Nicholas Hawes (written 

 "June, 1613 "), as given by Purchas, Sir Samuel says: .... "[I] returned 

 my self with the ship into Pemhroolc River, and so discovered to the head of it^ 

 which is about 65. leagues into the Land, and navigable for any ship. And 

 then marching into the Countries I found great store of Cattle as big as Kine, 



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of which, the Indians that were my guides, killed a couple which wee found 

 to be very good and wholesome mcate, and are very easie to be killed, in 

 regard they are heavy, slow, and not so wild as other beasts of the Wilder- 



* In a letter dated December 1% 1875. 



f In tliis connection I may add that I have examined remains from the banks of the Susquehanna, and 

 other locahties in Maryland, some partly fossilized and others nearly imchanged, which though collected 

 for bison remains proved to be those of domestic cattle. 



X Salmon (T.), The Present State of Virginia, p. 14, (London, 1737). 





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