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148 



THE AMEPJCAIsr BISONS. 





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Kansas as far easterly as longitude 98°, the western boundary of Kansas 



being 102 



o 



In a few years I think they will not range north of the Arkansas 



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iiver." 



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None of the government expeditions sent across the plains since 18 

 seem to have met with the buffalo east of the longitude of Fort Eiley^ or 

 east of the 97th meridian, from the Platte southward to Texas. In the In- 

 dian Territory they have not for a number of years ranged to the eastward 

 of Fort Sill.* It thus appears that the buffaloes were exterminated in East- 

 ern Kansas and in the eastern part of the Indian Territory over a breadth 

 of about four degrees of longitude between 1835 and 1870. 



The extermination along the western border of the southern herd has also 

 extended over a considerable area. In 1806 Pike found them throughout his 

 march across the plains from the western edge of Arkansas to the eastern 

 base of the Eocky Mountains, meeting with them in the greatest abundance 

 between the Smoky Hill Fork and the Arkansas.! In 1845 Lieutenant Tur- 

 ner found buffaloes abundant in the valley of the Arkansas from Bent's Fort 

 thence eastward for over two hundred miles. t The following year (184G) 

 Dr. Wislizenus reports that on Colonel Doniphan's march across the plains 

 all signs of the buffalo, even including the bois de vache^ disappeared near the 

 meridian of 101", between the Arkansas and Cimarron. 



between the two forks of the 



Fremont states that in 1842, at 103 



C)(\f 



o 



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Platte, they absolutely covered the plains, and were abundant thence west- 

 ward to St. Train's Fort, situated a little to the southward of the present 

 town of Cheyenne. Between the forks of the Platte and along the North 

 Platte to Fort Laramie but few were found, but recent signs of them were 

 abundant. On the Laramie plains westw^ard as far as Laramie River, large 

 herds were constantly met with, biit this year none w^ere seen on the North 

 Platte above the junction of Laramie River, the grasshoppers and the dry 

 weather having destroyed every blade of grass. 



* Captain J. W. Powell, of tlie 8th United States Infantry, informs me that in 1872 the bufHilo did not 

 range as far east as Fort Sill, but occurred fifty miles west of this point in considerable numbers. Lieu- 

 tenant Godfrey (7th Cavalry) also states that during 1871 and 1872 he met with them throughout that 

 part of the Indian Territory west of Fort Sill. 



t Pike (Z. M), Expedition to the Sources of the Mississippi, and to tlae Sources of the Arkansas, Kan- 

 sas, La Platte, and Pierre Jaune Rivers, etc. in the years 1805, 1806, and 1807. 



% Cong. Rep., 29th Congress, 1st Session, House Ex. Doc. No. 2, p. 217. 



h 



§ Wislizenus (Dr. A.), Memoir of a Tour to Northern Mexico in company with Colonel Doniphan's 

 Expedition in 1846-47, Cong. Rep., 30th Congress, 1st Session, Miscel. Doc. No. 26. 

 li Fremont's Explorations during 1842, 1843, and 1844, etc. 



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