The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1851-08-16
Prom Hapers Magazine.
A Brush with the Bison.
ny IonN MILLs. rsq.


Previously to the Introduction OF Birming
han and Sheffield manufactures into the In
dian market, the weapons used in war and
hunting were ofan cxcocding primitive kind.
Instead OF rifles, seOlpinS-kniycs tomahawIs,
and two-odgod lanccs OF polished steel, the
North American brave possessed but short
how madc of bone, with twisted shows for
strings, and quiver Of Ainttippcd arrows,
with stone hatchct, comprised his whole
stand of arms As matter of course, the
moro destructive kinds OF instruments intro
duced NJ once increased thn slaughter of the
game, and, from the cagcrncss of the traders
TO exchange their goods for skins, led the In
dians % destroy those animals by Wholesale
which formerly were killed only for food and
clothing for themselves, Even alta certain
season of the year, when Tie fur ut tho huiln-
10 is in the worst possible condition, IL has
been known for vast herds 10 be cNerminat-
ca merely for their tongues, which would be
bartcred for a few gallons of yllainous whis-
key. The numbers still ranging over the
pruirics aye, douhdcss, very great extending
,psI7foni the western rruhiicr 20 tho western
= verge OF the Rocky siuuutIirr-, rrd irea' The
3Oth To the B5lh degree Of north latitude (. but
a. ftbc end was fixed for the determination
,or this, the principal provision Of the Indian
with tho Iudian himself they arr rapidly hc-
. coming thinued, and in few years il is high
" probablc that buffalo, in its native state,
will be Ms rare on the American continent as
n bustartl is in our own island.
Il is worthy Of passing reflection to glance
=s, the particular purposes for which the buiI-
alo was assigned to supply the three chef
temporal wants of the Indian, as they arc
those of the white man-iood raimont and
lodging. Tho flesh affords ample provision,
the skin robes for clothing, bedding and COW
ering 70 his wigwam, while, as further utl-
ity, the hoois arc melted into glue to assist
him In fabricating his shield, arrows, and 9TH
or necessary articles for savage life. Ii may,
therefore, be imagined that the buffalo IS in
dispensable TO the Indians simple existence
for, whatever may have been said and written
concerning schemes for his civilization, am
quite certain that, from his innate Incidence
love Of rowing fierce passions, and uneon
dd0rabic desire for tho excitement of war ant
hunting, nothing can be more impossible thar
that any snch attempts should meet with Z
different result than positive defeat indeed
the American government, and various relig
ious sccts, sctuated by the purost philanthro
ny, have despatched agents and missionaric
TO the different tribes, with unnagging perse
-veranee, in the hope of rcclaimng the rec
% man from his present dcgenerated condition
but to little purpose. lie adopts the vices OF
civilization with the greatest readiness, an
81 ha Araf ni ala e1
the persons of the traders and treppers b
-. whom he Is surrounded but he cannot con
brehend either the Tcnip0rsi or eternal happ
ness offered through the medium of Christ
-. anity. Ribald as the statement may appeal
] have heard an 0sagc declare, with muc
.scriousncss, that "nothing could seem TO hiI
y lSas inviting than what tho pale face calle
theaven, and IL he was to go there he shoul
not know how to pass his time" With thes
unsophisticatod notions, and the plain, blur
squesiioRs with which the Indians are accu
toned to examine all theological matters,
may readily be supposed that minister o
the gospel would find considerable difficult
in obtaining many proselyt ties to the true iait
M We we're now on the verge ofthe upp,
prairies no1onger euamellcd with flowers an
coarse herbage, called "buifalo grass" on Il
which the buffalo loves to feed. These hun
ing grounds are far easier TO ride over fro
being free of vines and entangling shrul
which interlace each other in impenetrb
masses, although the yawning clcfts, made
the water COURSES the waiIows caused by q
biHalocs forming baths for themselves |
ripping tho earth open with their heads
soft, oozy spotS, aud the -buruowing of th
sharp ard watchtul little animal, the prair
dog cause both horse and horseman to II
considerable risk when taking spin over 4
+, fiat Hll aud dale, bluff andieyel, the lon
soRps broke upon the eye in one of those
6hieo and fruitful wastes, which strikes I
mind wiJb axe at ifs grand and boundl,
scale.
The serious object Of the expedition "
row on The eve OF being realized, and {