338 THE BISON. OR BUFFALO. 



If the natives of the South American continent possess neither 

 the Ox nor the Sheep, they have at least a precious resource in the 

 Bison, and the Musk Ox, or Ovibos. Of the latter I shall speak when 

 ray survey brings me to the colder regions of North America. 



The Bison is wholly confined to the great prairies of this conti- 

 nent, which he traverses from north to south, and reciprocally, in his 

 periodical migrations. According to some naturalists, he is a variety 

 of the Aurochs, the fierce wild bull that formerly tenanted the forests 

 of Gaul, Germany, and Sarmatia, and is still found in the densely- 

 wooded districts of Moldavia, Wallachia, Lithuania, and Caucasia. 

 Herds of Aurochs (Bos Bison], under the special protection of the 

 Russian Emperor, and believed to number fully eight hundred ani- 

 mals, still roam in the depths of the great Lithuanian forest of Bia- 

 lowieza. The American genus commonly called Buffalo, but not to 

 be confounded with the buffaloes of the Old World, occurs as far north 

 as the Great Martin Lake, in latitude 63, and congregates in count- 

 less thousands on the wide undulating prairies between the Mississippi 

 and the Rocky Mountains. Their flesh is supposed to supply with 

 provision some 300,000 Indians, who pursue them on horseback, and 

 kill them with bow and arrow, spear or rifle. The chase is exciting, 

 and has proved a great attraction to the more adventurous spirits of 

 the New World. It is exciting because it is perilous, for the hunted 

 animal will often turn upon his adversary, and in speed he can outstrip 

 the swiftest horse. He finds a formidable enemy in the white wolf. 

 Hunting in packs of one or two hundred, the latter fling themselves 

 upon two or three solitary bisons, and, surrounding them, worry the 

 huge brutes to death. Never have they courage enough, however, to 

 attack a herd, though the latter, when they catch sight of wolves, 

 manifest the greatest alarm, form into battle array, and are only pre- 

 vented by excess of terror from taking to flight. This panic-stricken 

 feeling the Indian often turns to his advantage. He clothes himself 

 in the skin of a white wolf, and with bow and arrows in his hands, 

 boldly faces a herd, crawling towards them on his hands and knees; 

 the affrighted buffaloes press closely together to receive the supposed 



