The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1907-04-05
Buffalo Memorials.
The Trail. the WaIIow, the Rubbing Stone.

from the OLD tort ne occupied lor
years at fembina was named the
Scratching River.
Close TO the mountains, or along
streams where there is much timber.
these scratching places are scarcely
noticeable. because each one was used
by only = few animals and at long in
tervals. and the evidences OF their
rubbing have been removed by the
weather. But in some sections OF
the treeless Northwest over which
in glacial times the great ice sheet
passed. there will be found bouiders
dropped by the ice. sometimes very
large. and at others projecting only
a few feet above the level OF the soil.
which in ancient times the buffalo
used as rubbing stones. IL in travel
ing over the prairie eu IoJr Or Sn
tarsehack, the IRA ,eler happens to
see such a lonely erratic, il Is worth
his while TO 60 to IL and examine IL
closely. He will find ii polished on
all sides by the friction OF the tough
hides of buffalo. and IL he passes HIS
faces he can still feel there the grease
which has accumulated from the use
to which the stone was put. All
around IL. and close TO II, he will find
worn deep trench I'm which are
boulders, stones and gravel, but
where there is no vegetation, for
there is no soil to nourish It. This
trench has been made by the buffalo
as they walked about the stone and
comfortably scratched their sides
against II. Their ponderous hoofs
have cut and torn up the soil and
reduced 1t to tine powder which the
winds have then carried away. leav-
ing only the heavy stones at the bot
tom of the trench.
OF all the memorials which the
buffalo have left on the wide plains
where once they were so abundant,
the rubbing stone is by far the most
permanent. These huge erratics.
brought thither by the ice OF glacial
times. and dropped seemingly hap
hazard here and there on he prairie.
will endure for long time. They
will last until day shall come, If 1t
ever does come, when the vandal
white man. having cultivated all the
rest of the earth. will use on them
some high explosive, break them to
atoms and bury the fragments.
Several years ago there was print
ed in the Forest and Stream mem
tion OF one OF these rubbing stones.
which | quote here. II is as follows:
From a high hill which gives n
wide outlook may be seen, far off,
on the verge of the horizon, where
the sky bends down to meet the
earth, a tiny spcck. AT first II seems
n haystack, then a cabin. then a
wagon, at last a buffalo; but it Is
none OF these.
Still riding on over the yellow
rolling plainy, where the short stems
of the prairie grass quiver with a
constant motiop, where little ground
squirrels fash across the horses path
and hide behind tufts OF grass. and
shore larks with sweet, soft notes
rise and swing away with undulating
flight, where dainty antelope slowly
walk to the top of the hills, on either
side and look about with curious
eyes, the object draws nearer. Some
times from the crest OF hill IL seems
close at hand, again, descending into
a little valley, IL is lost to view behind
n swell OF the prairie. At length II Is
close by and its nature can be seen.
"In those ancient days when the
vast ice sheet was melting, a great
mass OF stone was floated from the
distant mountains. Carried on some
huge berg. parted from the glacier
which gave II birth, this rock jour
neyed from the west. end at length.
falling from its longtime resting
place. sank to the earth, and when
the waters disappeared, remained
there, a landmark on the prairie.
Though 1t has Travelled far on
ice the boulder shows little wear. It's
knobs and roughness are still sharp,
but each protuberance and angle Is
polished with bright brown gloss,
like the corners OF fence posts In a
barn yard, against which cattle have
rubbed their sides.
For ages this great erratic has
been the buffalo's scratching past
Here in passing. the Clark herds have
turned aside and halted, and mighty
bull, sleek "oung COW. and playful
yearling have sidled up TO this mas
siye rock. and with grunts of content
ment, have pushed their rounded
bodies against II, and been jostled
and crowded and struck by the horns
Of others, eager 10 take their turn.
About this stone they have walked TO
and fro and cut up the soil with their
hoofs and made IL fine dust. which
the unceasing wind has cHT1ied away
and scattered far over the prairie.
So. after the lapse OF centuries Of
time and the passing away Of many
generations Of buffalo, deep trench
has been worn about the erratic, and
it stands On a pillar OF soil, The top
OF which is level with the prairie.