124 Bird-Nestiny 



ing in the North- West. I saw a calf at Quebec in 1886 that was 

 capture* 1 by the soldiers in the Saskatchewan region during 

 the rebillion. I have talked with old settlers and hunters who 

 remember seeing buffaloes in herds of hundreds together. In 

 Catlin's time it was estimated that 300,000 Indians were sub- 

 sisting on the flesh of the buffaloes, and by these animals were 

 supplied with all the luxuries of life. The flesh of the bison, 

 in good condition, is said to be very juicy and well-flavoured, 

 much resembling that of well-fed beef, others describe it as 

 bearing the same relation to common beef that venison bears 

 to mutton. The tongue when well cured is said to surpass 

 that of the common ox as a relish, and all travellers concur in 

 praising the hump as rich, savoury, tender and delicious. Buf- 

 falo robes are numerous in Toronto and other Canadian cities . 

 scores may be seen in the streets any winter's day, hung be- 

 hind the sleighs of wealthy citizens. The present market 

 value of a 'buffalo robe varies from $35 to $50. 



Formerly buffaloes roamed over the prairies of the North- 

 West in vast herds. According to Lewis and Clark, " such was 

 their multitude as they crossed the water, that although the 

 river, including an island over which they passed, was a mile 

 in length, the herd stretched, as thick at they could swim, com- 

 pletely from the one side to the other." On another occasion, 

 they say, " If it be not impossible to calculate the moving 

 multitude which darkened the whole prairies, we are convinced 

 that 20,000 would be no exaggerated number." Dr. James 

 states, that in the middle of the day countless thousands were 

 seen coming in from every quarter to the stagnant pools to 

 wallow, and at the present day, in some parts of the North- 

 West, the buffalo trails are as plentiful and almost as conspicu- 

 ous as the roads in the most populous parts of Kngland or the 

 United States. According to Sir John Richardson, the bisons 

 were less wary when they were assembled together in numbers, 

 and th.-y would often blindly follow their leaders, regard less of, 

 or trampling down, the hunters posted in their way. Years ago, 

 when the early settlers had to cross over the prairies in wag- 

 gons, it occasionally happened that they were run down and 

 trampled to death by a herd of buffaloes. 



