ON THE PRAIRIE 113 



by no other four-footed beast, and only 

 equalled, if equalled at all, by one or two 

 kinds of South African antelope, its mas- 

 sive bulk, and unwieldy strength. The fact 

 that it was a plains and not a forest or 

 mountain animal was at that time also great- 

 ly in its favor. Its toughness and hardy en- 

 durance fitted it to contend with purely nat- 

 ural forces: to resist cold and the winter 

 blasts, or the heat of a thirsty summer, to 

 wander away to new pastures when the feed 

 on the old was exhausted, to plunge over 

 broken ground, and to plough its way 

 through snow-drifts or quagmires. But one 

 beast of prey existed sufficiently powerful to 

 conquer it when full grown and in health; 

 and this, the grizzly bear, could only be con- 

 sidered an occasional foe. The Indians 

 were its most dangerous enemies, but they 

 were without horses, and their weapons, 

 bows and arrows, were only available at close 

 range; so that a slight degree of speed en- 

 abled buffalo to get out of the way of their 

 human foes when discovered, and on the 



