THE BISON. 389 



The majority of them fell victims to the rifles of the hunters, 

 and as the range of the buffalo was prior to this date becoming 

 yearly more restricted, it is probable that the survivors were 

 content with a northerly limit south of Canadian soil. Anyhow, 

 on the north-west plains the buffalo will feed no more. 



The only animals of the species existing in a natural condition 

 in the Dominion are those which are to be found in the barren 

 grounds between the Peace and Mackenzie rivers in the neigh- 

 bourhood of Great Slave Lake. On these lands the buffalo and 

 musk ox are still to be seen in fair numbers. Although the 

 animals have been to a great extent free from molestation by the 

 hunters in this northern territory, yet as thousands of skulls are 

 to be seen by the travellers who cross this district in the summer 

 time it is evident that they succumb to the rigour of the 

 climate. The trappers account for the bleaching bones by stating 

 that about fifty years ago the snow fell to a depth of fourteen 

 feet, and completely enveloping the animals, they perished by 

 thousands. 



The competition among the trading companies has undoubtedly 

 been the chief cause of the unrestrained slaughter of the animals, for 

 they encouraged the Indians in season and out of season to bring 

 them hides or tongues. It was no doubt a profitable business while 

 it lasted, for the market for both these articles eagerly bought all 

 that could be procured, and the unsophisticated red man was 

 easily persuaded {o part with his robes or tongues for a very 

 inadequate return, effected by the medium of bartering blankets 

 in exchange, or whisky, powder and shot, beads, or some inexpen- 

 sive trash; but now this business is dead, or dying. When 

 Catlin visited one of the fur company's forts on the Missouri in 

 1832, he was told by the head man and his clerks, that only a 

 few days before he arrived an immense herd of buffaloes had 

 shown themselves on the opposite side of the river, almost 

 blackening the plains for a great distance ; upoj. seeing them a 

 party of five or six hundred Sioux Indians, on horseback, forded 

 the stream, and in a few hours returned, and coming into the fort 

 threw down in a mass fourteen hundred fresh buffalo tongues, for 

 which they requested but a few gallons of whisky. This was 



