The Forrest City times., 1905-07-14
TANNING BUFFALOES
RARE OPPORTUNITY GIVEN TO
 EXPERIMENT WITH CALVES.
When Little Ones Come Mothers Very Fierce - Story of the Authors Futile Attempt to Photo
 graph These Creatures.

graph These Creatures.
 At this time. when the American people seem to have definitely made up their minds 10 save the last remnants of the vast horde of bison which once covered the western plains as with a robe, it is of interest to know how far this great wild creature can be made to conform to the present con- 1 ditions of the country. and whether or nor he can be tanned and added to mans list of useful domestic animals Not that either the success or failure l of an attempt to domesticate him should affect the matter of his preser- vation. for. apart from all question of | utility there are hundred good and sufficient reasons why Americans should unite in a strong effort to save the last few hundreds of the finest animals which ever trod their soil. Nevertheless. such an attempt is inter- asting. and if successful should not be unfavorable 10 the cause of the buff falo.
 To attempt the rearing O; buffalo calves by hand. to study their haoits day by day, and later to attempt to break them to the yoke, has been the dream of the writer ever since be came. year ago. to live within sight of Corbin Park N. H.. in which is con fined the largest herd of bison in he world. No one but he can know with what longings he used to lie for hours behind rocks or trees. or hidden in the foundations or ruined buildings, watching the movements of sundry 1 tawny youngsters as they punched their shaggy mothers with their hard little heads or. in the occasional mad stampedes. held their places in he fly ing herd, fleet as polo ponies and sure footed as goats At times I was al most tempted to dash out from my hiding place and try to capture one in my arms. but moments reflection was enough to show me the absurdity of the thought. In the first place. ona might as well try to capture a jack rabbit, in the second place. if one sue ceeded in catching it. creased bob
 
 if one could hold il. the probability of being killed by the mother was so strong that il amounted to a dead cer- tainty.
 By and by came April. and with it the first of the buffalo calves. and. as l desired to make complete pictorial as well as a written record of the eX- pertinent. 1 journeyed to the buffalo 1 yards. ten miles across Croydon noun tain, to photograph the calves before they were taken from their mothers. Now, it has been my experience that, with the exception of certain elderly 1 bulls. which seem 10 have grown mo- rose. possibly from living too much by themselves. nest buffaloes are peacs- ably disposed save only at the time when the calves are young. Then. the rows are savage demons or protecting angels, according to the point of view. But from whatever point of view ore looks at them. they demand the abso- lute respect of every visitor who would inspect or photograph the babies
 As l entered the tree-dotted yard
 
 were Quartered had two assistants a magazine editor from New York. m search of the simple life. and good Bill" Morrison. Scotchman. who has spent b years of his life handling the "Corbin" buffaloes The cows lost little time in showing their mettle. and the first photograph l got was one of ! fri h. |, .-z in tree. where like sensible fellow that he was, he remained until nos tlities were over Morrison did what he could to drive the cows to points where they might be photographed. but they were in no humOr 10 be driven. and several times he had 10 sprint to friendly trees and fences At last saw a fair chance for picture. and. camera in hand l went out for a sRot. The COW was standing with her tavpv calf peeping from beneath her harry neck. and l stepped carefully tow ard her, focusing as 1 went. She was look ing right al me with flashing eyes. all the while paving he earth. and ocea- sionally letting out q hoarse grult. with such force that il shook her body from end to end. l continued to ad- vance. aware of an occasional warning word from Morrison. but anxious 70 get a fair-sized image before releasins the shutter But l never got that pie ture, for the COW put her head to the ground, and knew exactly what that meant reached certain tree before she did. and the next instant We were all playing tag around the trunk Of il. Fortunately the calf decided not to follow and with parting snort. ne COW went off to join him
 ERNEST HAROLD BAYNEs