The Wilderness and Its Tenants. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



THE REGION OF THE GREAT PLAINS. 



Their Geographical Limits and Enormous Extent. Their Climates. 

 The Land of the Lemon Tree. Scriptural Description of Gardens. Why 

 there are no Forests on the Plains. The American Eastern Forest 

 Region. Sudden Cessation of Forest Growths. Resemblance of Great 

 Plains to a Stormy Sea turned into Land. Bird's-eye View of Great 

 Plains. Buttes. Steering a Course across the Grassy Sea. Influence 

 of the Vast Expanse upon the Human Mind. Influence of City Life 

 in Dwarfing the Mental Energies. Necessity for Habits of Observation 

 in a Traveller. Influence of Wide Plains on the History of Nations. 

 The Peopling of the Great West. The Great Buffalo Range of 

 North America. The Plains Indians. The White Man and the Red. 

 Border Warfare. The Pampas. Pampas Indians and Indian Raids. 

 Their Tactics Driving Loose Horses. Horses as an Article of Food. 

 The Gauchos. The Spanish Barb Horse. Re-introduction of the 

 Horse by the Spaniards. The Fossil Horse of South America. Spanish 

 Cattle. Buffalo Hunting on the North American Plains. Extinction 

 of the Buffalo as a Wild Animal. Skin Hunters "Taking a Stand." 

 Habits of the Buffalo. Hybrid Buffalo Their Reputed Excellence. 

 Cattle and Buffalo on the Plains during Blizzards. Buffalo in Snow 

 Time. Reindeer Feeding in Deep Snow. Advent of the Great Snows. 

 Their Condition and Action as a Protection to Vegetation. Ptar- 

 migan or Snow Grouse. Birds flying into Snow Drifts. Climates of 

 the Plains. Sudden Alternations of Heat and Cold. "The Indian 

 Summer" in North America. The Plains Region as a "Health Resort." 

 Climate of the British Islands contrasted with similar Latitudes else- 

 where. Climates of Labrador, Canada and Russia. Influence of Climatic 

 Conditions upon the Human Race. Sunstroke rare upon the Plains. 

 Erroneous Accounts of Plains Territory given by the Early Explorers. 

 The Reclamation of Waste Lands by Stock. Springing up of Natural 

 Pasture Grasses. Influence of Novel Pastures upon the Health of Stock. 

 Influence of Great Herds in Modifying Pastures. Cattle and Sheep in 

 Australia. What Can be Done with a Pound of Wool. Saline Rivers 



VOL. II. I 



