Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1902-08-27

report as to their number were made.
and it is estimated that within a very
short number of years there will not
be less than 500 of them.
II the animals were to be saved it
was we'll that the government took
the immediate preca utions for guard
ing them that it did Before two
months had passed after their discov-
cry had been announced a number of
sportsmen, hunters of Dig game, men
who would travel great distances and
endure all the hardships incident to
trip into this practically unknown
country, began preparations for their
determination merely fo= the sport OF
shooting them. The police details at
Calgary and Edmonton turned back
number of them whose object was
known at these places. A few others
Travelled the 500 or more miles into the
Lake Athabasca country only to be
met by the police detail sent in ahead
rying out their intentions. Up to last
spring. but three of the animals had
been killed, and they fell victims to
the Indian trappers.
The task of the small detail of police
is by no means an easy one. Their
headquarters is the log stockade near
the headwaters of the Clearwater
river near Lake Methye, but through
out the greater part of the year they
must live in tents and move wherever
the untrammeled wills of the buffaloes
take them, and at times are from 300
to 500 miles from the only home the
men know.
"It is not exactly what you would
call pleasant life,' said Col.
Hechemerer, late commanding officer
of the police, to me; "the men must
stand a great many hardships; they
can stay but short time in any one
place, and while the ply steal exertion
is not great it is a lonesome vigil.
| Around the headqua rters on the Clear
water, however, the men manage to
make out passable existence. There
they are to be seen quite as they are
at any of the western posts, with the
same attention given to every detail OF
! discipline, drill and dress"
I asked one of the government Of
icials connected with the mounted po-
lice what the object of the govern
ment was in protecting the herd so
as to insure its increase
II do not know that I can answer
such question satisfactorily, he re-
Piled II do not know that 1 ever
heard an object given, but there might
|
government has at all times looked
after the interest of its wards, the
Indians. Within few years the herd
will be sufficiently large to, under
proper Regulations, provide meat
supply for these people. The same
is true of the settlers who are already
advancing into the Peace river valley.
WithiE very few years the fertile soil
and comparatively mild climate OF
that great territory with its wonder
full wheat crop possibilities. will at.
tract thousands of settlers, and here
will be meat provided for them until
such time as their farms are sufficient
ly advanced and stocked to provide
other for them. This would but be
in keeping with the policy of the gov
eminent to provide in every way pos.
sible for the welfare of the settlers
now going into all parts of western
Canada in such large numbers
Through the summers the grass fur
nishes abundant forage for the buf.
faloes, and during the winters they
subsist on the foliage of the young
pines which grow around the shores OF
the thousands of lakes and rivers.
For years we have been familiar
with the phrase: 1.-THE last of the
buffaloes," but now Canada is pro.
tecting the start of new supply that
may become novel inducement fo1
settlers to emigrate and people hei
vast, uncultivated domains in the
northwest.
WRIGHT A. PATTERSON.