INTRODUCED BY THE ENGLISH. .. 1 



the years 1631, '32 and '33, Captain John Mason made several 

 importations of cattle into that State from Denmark, to supply 

 the Danish emigrants who had settled on the Piscataqua river. 

 These Danish cattle were coarse, large beasts, and yellowish in 

 color. Settlements were made in Maryland in 1633; in North 

 and South Carolina in 1660 and 1670; and in Pennsylvania in 

 1682, all by the English, who either with the first settlers, or 

 soon after, brought cattle over, chiefly from the counties nearest 

 the ports from which they sailed. In all probability, numerous 

 importations of cattle were annually made into the several col- 

 onies, during successive years, as the emigrants came in rapidly, 

 and the few early importations, with their increase, were insuf- 

 ficient to supply their wants. That cattle multiplied, both by 

 natural increase and importation, is evident. We see it recorded, 

 that in the year 1636, a party of emigrants went out to settle 

 the town of Northboro, Massachusetts, thirty miles west of 

 Boston, and in a company of one hundred men, women and 

 children, they drove with them one hundred and sixty cattle 

 and that was but twelve years after the first importation into 

 the colony. 



From these diverse and miscellaneous beginnings, our 

 " native " cattle originated. Of what distinctive breeds they were 

 selected, if selected with reference to breed at all, we have no 

 information, nor, at this distance of time, can we be at all certain. 

 Distinct breeds did then exist, well defined in their characteris- 

 tics, both in England, and Scotland, and we are to presume, that 

 needy and necessitous as the emigrants mostly were going out 

 for "conscience sake," as many of them did, and in a hope to 

 better their fortunes with all they paid little regard to breed 

 or race in their cattle, so that they gave milk, performed labor, 

 and propagated their kind. 



As the colonists grew in numbers, and prospered in gear, 

 their cattle, now become a leading branch of husbandry, aided 



