The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-10-16
Did Bu6aloes Run in Middle
Carolina and Southside Virginia
By JOHN w. HAYS

Did buffaloes run in this region?"
some one asked as we sat about Buff
falo Springs, which stands alongside
Buffalo Creek, in Mecklenburg coun-
ty, Va. There were dozen well-in-
formed men present and not one could
answer. The name Buffalo occurs
frequently through Western Carolina
and Virginia. There is Buffalo Knob"
Buffalo Gap" and several Buffalo
Creeks" in addition to the one near
which we were seated Recently l
found an old copy of Colonel Byrds
story of the line survey between North
Carolina and Virginia in the year 1925.
AS everybody knows, Colonel Byrd was
the commissioner who followed the
line from Currituck Inlet, on the At
lantic Ocean. to an unnamed. unknown
stream at the foot OF the Blue Ridge
Mountains. which we call the Ararat
River. point not far from the pres
he recounts. no white man lived fur
Their west on the Roanoke River than
the Traders PATH which crossed
between the towns of Boydton and OK
ford of more recent years. This was
road or path which the traders -ol-
| lowed from the settled Virginia coun-
try to the half-known Indian regions
of Carolina and Georgia. Colonel Byrd
states that the trail crossed the Tar
River the Flat. the Little and the
Emo. and that the country west, IN
the vicinity of the Roanoke, was I'M
known at that time to the white man.
The story of this survey is given with
many interesting observations on this
"unexplored. desolate REGION as he
calls 1t. and answers definitely the
question of the buffalo range; for he
narrates several incidents which oc-
Cured in the neighborhood OF the
present Buffalo Springs. where he
seems to have camped for time, and
which were evidently frequented by
the buffaloes.
Indeed, tradition says these springs
were known to the Indians, but Col
onel Byrd does not mention this. After
speaking OF Nutbush Creek. so called
by reason of the many hazel trees
growing there; creek on which there
were many reeds, which must have
been Island Creek. between Vance ana
Granville: then large creek which
flying Paint Creek. which take TO
have been Grassy Creek, he came three
miles further to Beaver Creek, where
these Industrious animals had damned
the water so high that we had dim
Guilty in crossing" Then he came to q.
creek which the Indians called Ohimpa-
moni, signifying jumping creek, from
the frequent jumping OF fish during
the spring season. "As we marched
very fresh, but could not have the
pleasure of seeing them. They either
Esmelt us out or We're alarmed at the
noise so many people made At
length he camped on Buffalo Creek
so named from the frequent tokens
we discovered of the American be-
hemoth. We quartered near a spring
OF very fine water. Is soft as oil and
as cold as ice. to make amends for
the want of wine, by the help Of which
we perceived our appetities to mend,
our slumbers to sweeten. the stream
of life to run cool and peaceable In
our veins. and If ever we dreamed of
women they were kind. Here Our men
kl.ed fat buck and two turkeys, but
the Indians declared II we boiled them
together the spirit which presided over
the game in the woods would in the
future drive all game out of sight we
were entertained this night with the
Yell OF whole family of wolves, In
which 1 could distinguish treble tenor
and bass very clearly The Indians
gentle the whelps OF these and use
them about their cabins like dogs"
Upon reaching this, same region.
near Buffalo Springs, upon the return
journey from the mountains zone of 4
the men had the luck to meet a young
buffalo two years old It was a bull, I
as big as an ordinary OK. His legs
were very thick and very short and
his hoofs exceeding broad. His back ,
rose into kind OF bunch little above
the shoulders, which II believe con-
tributes to that creatures enormous
strength. The body is vastly deep from
the shoulders to the brisltet. sometimes
six feet in those that are fully grown.
disgraced by shabby little tail not
above twelve inches long. This he
cocks up on END whenever he is In pas
sion, and instead Of believing or low
Ing, grunts with no better grace than