The Last of the Buffalo 



climbed until his wind had given out, and 

 now he would stand and fight. Our fun 

 was over ; and looking back as we floated 

 down the river, our last glimpse was of 

 the old bull, still standing on his shelf, 

 waiting with lowered head for the un- 

 known enemy that he supposed was about 

 to attack him. 



It is not only under stress of circum- 

 stances that the bison climbs. The moun- 

 tain buffalo is almost as active as the 

 mountain sheep, and was often found in 

 places that tested the nerve and activity 

 of a man to reach ; and even the buffalo 

 of the plains had a fondness for high 

 places, and used to climb up on to broken 

 buttes or high rocky points in the foot- 

 hills. I have often noticed the same habit 

 among range cattle and horses. 



The buffalo were fond of rolling in the 

 dirt ; and to this habit, practised when the 

 ground was wet, are due the buffalo wal- 

 lows which so frequently occur in the 

 old ranges, and which often contain water 

 after all other moisture, except that of 

 the streams, is dried up. These wallows 

 were formed by the rolling of a succes- 

 sion of buffalo in the same moist place, 

 and were often quite deep. They have 

 frequently been described. Less well known 

 215 



