OF NORTH CAROLINA. 191 



rence are said to have. He seldom appears 

 amongst the English inhabitants, his chief haunt 

 being in the land of Messiasippi, which is, for the 

 most part, a plain country ; yet I have known 

 some killed on the hilly part of Cape Fair river, they 

 passing the ledges of vast mountains from the said 

 Messiasippi, before they can come near us. I 

 have eaten of their meat, but do not think it so 

 good as our beef; yet the younger calves are cried 

 up for excellent food, as very likely they may be. 

 It is conjectured that these buftelos, mixt in 

 breed with our tame cattle, would much better 

 the breed for largeness and milk, which seems 

 very probable. Of the wild bull's skin buff is made. 

 The Indians cut the skins into quarters for the 

 ease of their transportation, and makes beds to 

 lie on. They spin the hair into garters, girdles, 

 sashes, and the like, it being long and curled, and 

 often of a chesnut or red color. These monsters 

 are found to weigh (as I am informed by a travel- 

 er of credit) from one thousand six hundred to 

 two thousand four hundred weight. 



The bears here are very common, though not 

 so large as in Greenland, and the more northern 

 countries of Russia. The flesh of this beast is 

 very good and nourishing, and not inferior to the 

 best pork in taste. It stands bf twixt beef and 

 pork, and the young cubs are a dish for the grea- 

 test epicure living. I prefer their flesh before any 

 beef, veal, pork or mutton, and they look as well 

 as they eat, their fat being as white as snow and 



