Oregon and Eldorado; or, Romance of the Rivers. Bulfinch Thomas
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old and six or eight young ones. The houses are of a much ruder construction than their dams: for, notwithstanding the sagacity of these animals, it has never been observed that they aim at any other convenience in their house than to have a dry place to lie on; and there they usually eat their victuals, such as they take out of the water. Their food consists of roots of plants, like the pond-lily, which grows at the bottom of the lakes and rivers. They also eat the bark of trees, particularly those of the poplar, birch, and willow.
"The instinct of the beavers leading them to live in associations, they are in an unnatural position, when, in any locality, their numbers are so much reduced as to prevent their following this instinct. The beaver near the settlement is sad and solitary: his works have been swept away, his association broken up, and he is reduced to the necessity of burrowing in the river-bank, instead of building a house for himself. Such beavers are called 'terriers.' One traveller says that these solitaries are also called 'old bachelors.'"
"April 29. – All these names are given to the same species, which probably changes in color with the season, or with the time of life. Of the strength and ferocity of this animal, the Indians give dreadful accounts. They never attack him but in parties of six or eight persons, and, even then, are often defeated with the loss of some of the party.
"May 18. – One of our men who had been suffered to go ashore came running to the boats with cries and every symptom of terror. As soon as he could command his breath, he told us, that, about a mile below, he had shot a white bear, which immediately turned and ran towards him, but, being wounded, had not been able to overtake him. Capt. Lewis, with seven men, went in search of the bear, and, having found his track, followed him by the blood for a mile, came up with him, and shot him with two balls through the skull. He was a monstrous animal, and a most formidable enemy. Our man had shot him through the centre of the lungs: yet the bear had pursued him furiously for half a mile; then returned more than twice that distance, and, with his talons, dug himself a bed in the earth, two feet deep and five feet long, and was perfectly alive when they found him, which was at least two hours after he received the wound. The fleece and skin of the bear were a heavy burden for two men; and the oil amounted to eight gallons.
"The wonderful power of life of these animals, added to their great strength, renders them very formidable. Their very track in the mud or sand, which we have sometimes found eleven inches long and seven and a quarter wide, exclusive of the talons, is alarming; and we had rather encounter two Indians than a single brown bear. There is no chance of killing them by a single shot, unless the ball is sent through the brain; and this is very difficult to be done, on account of two large muscles which cover the side of the forehead, and the sharp projection of the frontal bone, which is very thick."
NOTE. Their strength is astonishingly great. Lieut. Stein of the dragoons, a man of undoubted veracity, told me he saw some buffaloes passing near some bushes where a grisly bear lay concealed: the bear, with one stroke, tore three ribs from a buffalo, and left it dead. —Parker.
Although endowed with such strength, and powers of destruction, the grisly bear is not disposed to begin the attack. Mr. Drummond, a later traveller, states, that, in his excursions over the Rocky Mountains, he had frequent opportunity of observing the manners of these animals; and it often happened, that in turning the point of a rock, or sharp angle of a valley, he came suddenly upon one or more of them. On such occasions they reared on their hind-legs, and made a loud noise like a person breathing quick, but much harsher. He kept his ground, without attempting to molest them; and they on their part, after attentively regarding him for some time, generally wheeled round, and galloped off: though, from their known disposition, there is little doubt but he would have been torn in pieces, had he lost his presence of mind and attempted to fly. When he discovered them at a distance, he often frightened them away by beating on a large tin box in which he carried his specimens of plants.
"The black bear, common in the United States, is scarcely more than half the size of the grisly bear. Its favorite food is berries of various kinds; but, when these are not to be procured, it lives upon roots, insects, fish, eggs, and such birds and quadrupeds as it can surprise. It passes the winter in a torpid state, selecting a spot for its den under a fallen tree, and, having scratched away a portion of the soil, retires to the place at the commencement of a snow storm, when the snow soon furnishes it with a close, warm covering. Its breath makes a small opening in the den, and the quantity of hoar-frost which gathers round the hole serves to betray its retreat to the hunter. In more southern districts, where the timber is of larger size, bears often shelter themselves in hollow trees."
"The buffalo is about as large as our domestic cattle; and their long, shaggy, woolly hair, which covers their head, neck, and shoulders, gives them a formidable appearance, and, at a distance, something like that of the lion. In many respects, they resemble our horned cattle; are cloven-footed, chew the cud, and select the same kind of food. Their flesh is in appearance and taste much like beef, but of superior flavor. Their heads are formed like the ox, perhaps a little more round and broad; and, when they run, they carry them rather low. Their horns, ears, and eyes, as seen through their shaggy hair, appear small, and, cleared from their covering, are not large. Their legs and feet are small and trim; the fore-legs covered with the long hair of the shoulders, as low down as the knee. Though their figure is clumsy in appearance, they run swiftly, and for a long time without much slackening their speed; and, up steep hills or mountains, they more than equal the best horses. They unite in herds, and, when feeding, scatter over a large space; but, when fleeing from danger, they collect into dense columns: and, having once laid their course, they are not easily diverted from it, whatever may oppose. So far are they from being a fierce or revengeful animal, that they are very shy and timid; and in no case did we see them offer to make an attack but in self-defence, and then they always sought the first opportunity to escape. When they run, they lean alternately from side to side. They are fond of rolling upon the ground like horses, which is not practised by our domestic cattle. This is so much their diversion, that large places are found without grass, and considerably excavated by them."
NOTE. Rev. Mr. Parker thus describes a buffalo-hunt: —
"To-day we unexpectedly saw before us a large herd of buffaloes. All halted to make preparation for the chase. The young men, and all the good hunters, prepared themselves, selected the swiftest horses, examined the few guns they had, and also took a supply of arrows with their bows. They advanced towards the herd of buffaloes with great caution, lest they should frighten them before they should make a near approach, and also to reserve the power of their horses for the chase, when it should be necessary to bring it into full requisition. When the buffaloes took the alarm, and fled, the rush was made, each Indian selecting for himself the one to which he happened to come nearest. All were in swift motion, scouring the valley. A cloud of dust began to rise; firing of guns, and shooting of arrows, followed in close succession. Soon, here and there, buffaloes were seen prostrated; and the women, who followed close in the rear, began the work of securing the acquisition, and the men were away again in pursuit of the flying herd. Those in the chase, when as near as two rods, shoot and wheel, expecting the wounded animal to turn upon them. The horses seemed to understand the way to avoid danger. As soon as the wounded animal flies again, the chase is renewed; and such is the alternate wheeling and chasing, until the buffalo sinks beneath his wounds."
"May 30, 1805. – We passed a precipice about one hundred and twenty feet high, under which lay scattered the fragments of at least a hundred carcasses of buffaloes. These buffaloes had been chased down the precipice in a way very common on the Missouri, and by which vast herds are destroyed in a moment. The mode of hunting is to select one of the most active and fleet young men, who is disguised by a buffalo-skin round his body; the skin of the head, with the ears and horns, fastened on his own head in such a way as to deceive the buffaloes. Thus dressed, he fixes himself at a convenient distance between a herd of buffaloes and any of the river precipices, which sometimes extend for some miles. His companions, in the mean time, get in the rear and side of the herd, and, at a given signal, show themselves, and advance towards the buffaloes. They instantly take the alarm; and, finding the hunters beside them, they run toward the disguised Indian, or decoy, who leads them on, at full speed, toward the river; when, suddenly