The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1901-01-06
BUFFALO AMONG CATTLE.
Ranchmen Surprised by Voluntary
Addition 40 Their Herds

An immensc buffalo bull has put in an
appearance among the cattle owned hy
the Sioux Indians and ranged nrar the
Standing Rock reservation, 90 mics
south of Bismarck, y. ID. The animal
came unheralded, whence nobody knows.
For years it has been supposed that cy-
cry bison was extinct in this state, and
the last time any were seen ia The state
was back in the middle eighties. when
Governor Roosevelt, hunting along the
Little Missouri river, killed one at Il
crossing of the river The animal that
has made its appearance near Standing
Rock is unusually wild and fierce and
disposed to attack hcrdSmcn who at
tempt to get near it. Strict orders have
been issued by the agent against killing
the animal, in the hope that it will re-
main and that others may be discovered.
The presence of this lone monarch Of
the prairies recalls the time when the
bison ranged the vast praircS in the
western part of the state by thousands.
If not millions, when every water hole
was a gathering place for them and the
hills and valleys were worn deep with
trails along which the animals went from
feeding ground TO watering places. Even
yet all through the western part of the
state there are deep trails that We're
made by the bison and that have not
been wiped out in half century. The
suddcnneSs of the extinction of the bison
Is among the most remarkable features
of the development of the west. From
thousands and hundreds of thousands
they dwindled away almost Mt once.
In the early days of StraInbnating along
the Missouri river passengers wore fIe-
quently treated to an unusual sight in
the fOrtling of the river by bands Of thou
sands Of these animals. On on" occasion
boat plying up the stream was forced
to stop and tie up for Is hours Will" the
immense moving mass of bison plunged
into the stream. swan through it's mud
dy waters aud emerged on the other side.
The water was churncd To- foam and the
river literally black with the animals
They made periodical trips of this kind
from one side uf the Missouri to the
other. always moving in immense bodies.
buffalo stampede was not uncommon
and woe TO the unfOrtunates who might
be caught in the pa!h.
Then came the buffalo hunters In the
early days of bismarck hundreds OF
hunters armed themselves and sought the
feeding grounds nf these animals. Thou
sands upon thousands Of them were kill
ed for the hides. the carcasSes being left
tn rot on the prlirieS. No precautions
were taken at that time against their OK
and the result was that in a
few years there was not bison remain
Ing. The JndiHns also engaged in fire. |
qucnt hunts, riding into the dense herds |
upon their ponies and Strengthening them |
by thousands.
RuffalO coats and robes that were /
worth IA few dollars 20 years ago in the |
west now command fancy prices. Good |
robes are impossible to obtain at any /
price, ami coats are eagerly sought after.
Buffalo heads that were sold for little or
nothing ~ aud ~ years ago. now bring
as high az $500 when mounted. and are
liIicuIt Iu obtain at that price
la the hills near Standing Rock the
country is rough and broken and is sell
iom visited. II Is thought. from III" ap-
Of the solitary bison, that there
nay lie small bands Of them ranging the
nclOScd Feeding grounds. and every Of
Tort will he made To locate aud protect !
bein.-St- Louis Republic.