PRODUCTIONS, 8tc.—BOOK I. 
Iiav6 driven him away His proper country appears to be the 
plains of the Missouri; those of Indiana and Illinois, are minia¬ 
tures of these. Here the buffaloe is found in immense herds; 
frequently covering the plain as far as the eye can reach. Some 
of these herds, have been estimated at fifty thousand heads. In 
the dry season, they are found in the neighbourhood of the great 
rivers, but there are also regular migrations of them from north 
to south, when they are seen pussing the Missouri, for several 
days in succession, like the march of Xerxes’ army. 
The wool* of the buffaloe has a peculiar fineness, even 
surpassing that of the merino. I have seen gloves made of it, 
little inferior to silk. But for the difficulty of separating the hair; 
it might become a very important article of commerce. Should 
any means be discovered of effecting this, or should it be found; 
that at certain seasons, there is less of this mixture, the buffaloe 
wool must become of prime importance in manufactures. 
Elk and Deer , are found in great numbers in this territory., 
In the neighbourhood of the settlements deer are very abun¬ 
dant; the poor animals enjoy some respite from their cruel per¬ 
secutors, on account of the low state of the peltry trade, and 
for some time past have been observed to increase. Two va¬ 
rieties of deer are discovered high up on the Missouri. The 
black tailed, or mule deer ; remarkable for very long ears, and 
tails almost without hair, except at the end where there is a 
small tuft of a black color. The other kind is distinguished by 
very small horns, and a tail of unusual length—eighteen or twen- 
ty inches. 
There is a species of wolf different from the wolverin, and a 
curious one of the fox. The braireau or badger, is found on the 
Mississippi and on the Missouri. The changeable hare (lefius 
iuariadilisj a beautiful animal, gray in summer, and white in win¬ 
ter is seen in this country. 
* It is curious to observe, that in the instruction to Iberville by the 
king of France, two things were considered of the first importance, the 
pearl fishery , and the buffaloe ivool. Charlevoix observes, that he is not 
surprised that the first should not have been attended to, but he thinks 
it strange that the second should be neglected even to his time* 
II 
