limestone and sandstone formations, lying between the great Rocky Mountain
ridge and the lower eastern chain of primitive rocks, are the only districts in
the fur countries that are frequented by the bison. In these comparatively level
tracts there is much prairie land, on which they find good grass in the summer ;
and also many marshes overgrown with bulrushes and carices, which supply them
with winter food. Salt springs and lakes also abound on the confines of the
limestone, and there are several well known salt-licks where bison are sure to be
found at all seasons of the year. They do not frequent any of the districts formed
of primitive rocks, and the limits of their range to the eastward within the
Hudson Bay Company’s territories may be nearly correctly marked on the map by
a line commencing in longitude 97° on the Red River which flows into the south-end
of Lake Winipeg, crossing the Saskatchewan to the westward of Basquiau hill,
and running from thence by the Athapescow to the east end of Great Slave Lake.
Their migrations to the westward were formerly limited by the Rocky Mountain
Tange, and they are still unknown in New Caledonia and on the shores of the
Pacific to the north of the Columbia river; but of late years they have found out
a passage across the mountains near the sources of the Saskatchewan, and their
numbers to the westward are said to be annually increasing. In 1806, when
Lewis and Clark crossed the mountains at the head of the Missouri, bison skins
were an important article of traffic between the inhabitants on the east side and
the natives to the Westward. Further to the southward, in New Mexico and California,
the bison appears to be numerous on both sides of the Rocky Mountain
chain. One of the earliest accounts we have of the animal is by Hernandez ; and
Recchus’ edition of his observations, or rather commentary upon them, is illustrated
by an engraving which seems to have been made from a rude sketch of the bison,
altered by the European artist to a closer resemblance with the European ox.
Hennepin, in the narrative of his discovery of Louisiana, and his travels through
that country between the years 1669 and 1682, gives a very good description of the
bison, together with a figure, which is apparently a copy of that of Recchus, It
does not appear to have excited much attention in Europe until lately, when several
specimens, having been imported into England, were exhibited under the attractive
title of Bonasus, which, though described by the ancients, was asserted to have been
lost to the moderns until recognised in the American animal, The American
bison has in fact much resemblance to the aurochs of the Germans (Bos urus,
B o d d ^ r t ) identified by Cuvier with the bonassus of Aristotle, the bison of
Pausanias and Pliny, and the urus of Csesar, and which, down to the reign of
Charlemagne, was not rare in Germany, but is now nearly confined to the
hilly country lying between the Caspian and Black Sea.
The bison wander constantly from place to place, either from being, disturbed
by hunters or in quest of food. They are much attracted by the soft tender
grass, which springs up after a fire has spread over the prairie. In winter
they scrape away the snow with their feet to reach the grass. The bulls and
cows live in separate herds for the greatest part of the year, but at all seasons
one or two old bulls generally accompany a large herd of cows. In the rutting
season, the males fight against each other with grèat fury, and at that period it is
very dangerous to approach them. The bison is, howéver, in general, ashy
animal, and takes to flight instantly on winding an enemy, which the acuteness
of its sense of smell enables it to do from a great distance. They are less wary
when they are assembled together in numbers, and will then often blindly follow
their leaders, regardless of, or trampling down the hunters posted in their way. It
is dangérous for thé hunter to shew himself after having wounded one, for it
will pursue him, and although its gait may appear heavy and awkward, it will
•have no great difficulty in overtaking the fleetest runner. While I resided' at
Carlton-house, an accident of this kind occurred. Mr. Finnan M‘Donald, one of
the Hudson’s Bay Company’s clerks, was descending the Saskatchewan in a boat,
and one evening having pitched his tent for the night, he went out in the dusk to
look for game. It had become nearly dark when he fired at a bison-bull, which
was galloping over a small eminence, and as he was hastening forward to see if
his shot had taken effect, the wounded beast made a rush at him. He had the
presence of mind to seize the animal by the long hair on its forehead as it struck
him on the side with its horn, and being a remarkably tall and powerful man, a
struggle ensued, which continued until his wrist was severely sprained, and his
arm was rendered powerless; he then fell, and after receiving two or three blows
became senseless. Shortly afterwards he was found by his companions lying
bathed in blood, being gored in several places, and the bison was couched beside
him, apparently waiting to renew the attack had he shewn any signs'of life.
Mr. M‘Donald recovered from the immediate effects of the injuries he received,
but died a few months afterwards. Many other instances might be mentioned
of the tenaciousness with which this animal pursues its revenge, and I have
been told of a hunter having been detained for many hours in a tree by an
old bull which had taken its post below to watch him. When it contends with
a dog, it strikes violently with its fore-feet, and in that way proves more than