138 THE AMERICAN BISONS. 



Roemer, in 1849, says that the buffalo was then found only in the hilly 

 parts of the State, far from the coast, and that herds of a thousand together 

 were still seen between the Brazos and Austin.* It would seem, however, 

 that at this time there were very few buffaloes south of the Red River, as 

 during the years 1849, 1850, and L851 a series of military reconnaissances 

 were made in Texas, forming a network of lines covering a large part of the 

 State, during the running of which no buffaloes seem to have been met with. 

 Lieutenant Michler surveyed a line from Fort Washita southward along 

 the 97th meridian,! from 34° 30' to about 31°, and thence southwestward to 

 San Antonio. Another line was run from Fort Washita southwestward. in a 

 nearly direct line to the Pecos River, striking it in longitude 103% and lati- 

 tude 31° 20'. A line was continued from this point eastward again to the 

 LOOth meridian, and thence southeastward to Corpus Christi Bay. in longi- 

 tude 9G , and latitude 28' 40'. Another line was carried down the Pecos to 

 longitude 101" 40', and thence to the head-waters of the Nueces, and down 

 this river also to Corpus Christi Bay. The narratives of these explorations 



make no mention of buffaloes, as they doubtless would if buffaloes had 1 n 



met with. $ In 1850 Marcy met with a few stragglers south of the Cana- 

 dian, near the divide between the Canadian and the Washita Forks of the 

 Red River, and saw their tracks and other indications of their presence there. 

 He reports that the Kiowas and Comanches went north in summer to hunt 

 the buffalo on the plains of the Arkansas, only a few buffaloes crossing at 

 this time to the south of the Canadian. 



In 1852, according to the "Topographical Sketches of the Military Posts" 

 In Texas, buffaloes had entirely disappeared from the region about Fort 



Worthy ion the we-t fork of the Trinity, just west of the 97th meridian); 

 they are not mentioned among the animals found at this date aliout Fort 



Belknap (on the Brazos, longitude aliout Ms 30'),neither were they then 

 found aliout Fort Tenet • on the 100th meridian). Very lew are said to 

 have Keen found as far south a- F«ut Phantom Hill, since 1887.** At Camp 

 Johnston. tt on the Concho River (near the present Fort Concho), one only 

 i- reported as having been seen, and the region i- said to have been then 



• Roemer (Ferdinand), Texas, | 



t Tl ntral |><>rt i. >ti of the wooded bell known a- tl doss Timbers " lies along ilii» meridian. 



: -i ( "i>_:r.. i I toe. N" 8 1. and ai companj ing maps 



\I ' - \m,.;, . | 



l| Ibid., p. 3T2. •• [bid, p. 876. 



ft Ibid., p. 380. 



