THE EXTERMINATION OF THE AMERICAN BISON. 393 



we came in sight, we were actually terrified at the immense numbers 

 that were streaming down the green hills on one side of the river, and 

 galloping up aud over the bluffs on the other. The river was filled, 

 and in parts blackened with their heads and horns, as they were swim- 

 ming about, following up their objects, and making desperate battle 

 whilst they were swimming. I deemed it imprudent for our canoe to 

 be dodging amongst them, and ran it ashore for a few hours, where we 

 laid, waiting for the opportunity of seeing the river clear, but we waited 

 in vain. Their numbers, however, got somewhat diminished at last, 

 and we pushed off, and successfully made our way amongst them. From 

 the immense numbers that had passed the river at that place, they had 

 torn down the prairie bank of 15 feet in height, so as to form a sort of road 

 or landing place, where they all in succession clambered up. Many in 

 their turmoil had been wafted below this landing, and unable to regain 

 it against the swiftness of the current, had fastened themselves along 

 in crowds, hugging close to the high bank under which they were 

 standing. As we were drifting by these, and supposing ourselves out 

 of danger, I drew up my rifle and shot one of them in the head, which 

 tumbled into the water, and brought with him a hundred others, which 

 plunged iu, and in a moment were swimming about our canoe, and plac- 

 ing it in great danger. No attack was made upon us, and in the con- 

 fusion the poor beasts knew not, perhaps, the enemy that was amongst 

 them ; but we were liable to be sunk by them, as they were furiously 

 hooking and climbing on to each other. I rose in my canoe, anil by my 

 gestures and hallooing kept them from coming in contact with us until 

 we were out of their reach."* 



IV. Character of the species. 



1. The buffalo's ranJc amongst ruminants. — With the American people, 

 and through them all others, familiarity with the buffalo has bred con- 

 tempt. The incredible numbers in which the animals of this species 

 formerly existed made their slaughter an easy matter, so much so that 

 the hunters aud frontiersmen who accomplished their destruction have 

 handed down to us a contemptuous opinion of the size, character, and 

 general presence of our bison. And how could it be otherwise than 

 that a man who could find it in his heart to murder a majestic bull bison 

 for a hide worth only a dollar should form a one-dollar estimate of the 

 grandest ruminant that ever trod the earth 1 ? Men who butcher African 

 elephants for the sake of their ivory also entertain a similar estimate 

 of their victims. 



With an acquaintance which includes fine living examples of all the 

 larger ruminants of the world except the musk-ox and the European 

 bison, I am sure that the American bison is the grandest of them all. 

 His only rivals for the kingship are the Indian bison, or gaur (Bos gaurus), 

 of Southern India, and the aurochs, or European bison, both of which 



* Catlin's North American Indians, n, p. 13. 



