THE CRIME OF A CENTURY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2397, 8 February 1900, Page 59

THE CRIME OF A CENTURY.

(PEOFKSSOK CIf.VRLES FitnDKRICK HOLDEK, "n the Scientific American.) One of the most extraordinary events that has characterised the last half of the present century is the extermination, the -wiping out, of the American bison. There is little use in resorting to invective or endeavouring to stigmatise those -who are guilty of this crime, but it would be v/ell if the acts could be held up in a bright light, that those who committed them might be excoriated in the time to come, when a few bones and pictures will alone tell the story of a mighty race swept from the face cf the earth by the civilised people of the nineteenth century. . . . That so many of these animals could have been killed ir> mere wantonness seems incredible when their vast numbers are realised. We first hear of the bison from Cortez and his followers in 1521. Montezuma had one in a zoological garden, the specimen, in all probability, having been caught in Coahuila. In 1530 Cabeza saw them in Texas, and in 1542 Coronado found a herd in what is now the Indian Territory, one of his officers describing them as horrible beasts that demoralised the horses. In 1612 Sir Samuel Argoll observed herds of bison near the national capital, and, in all probability, two hundred and eighty-seven years ago herds of bison grazed on the site of the capitol building at Washington. In 1678 Father Hennepin observed them in what is new Northern Illinois, and in October, 1729,

Colonel W. Bird saw L*rds in North Caro* lina and Virginia. " You cannot belieA'e the facts as they existed in the days of 18.71-72," said an aimy officer. " I was at that time on duty; in the pay department, which made ifc necessary for me to travel on the Atchison, Topeka, and Sante Fe railroad. One day the train entered a large herd, Avhich scat-[ tered and seemed to go Avild at the shriekv ing of the Avhistle and the ringing of tha bell. As-Ave Avent on the thicker they became, until the A-ery earth appeared to be a rolling mass of humps so far as Aye could see. Suddenly some of the animals nearest us turned and charged; others fell in behind, and doAvn on us they, came like an avalanche. The engineer stopped the engine, let off steam and Avhistled to stop them, Avhile Are fired from the platforms and windows with rifles and revolvers, but it was like trying to stop a tidal wave. We stood in the centre of the car to aAvait the crash, some of 'tile men going to the rear On they came, the earth trembling, and plunged heads doAvn into us. Some Avere Avedged in betAveen the cars, others beneath ; ai.d so great aams the crush that they toppled three cars over, and actually scrambled ' over them, one buffalo becoming bogged by having his legs caught in the AvmdoAV-. Such 'accidents occurred several times, and tAvice in one Aveek Avere trains derailed by charging buffaloes, whose numbers it Avas impossible to compute." - Hunters have heard the roaring of buffaloes at a distance of from three to fivs miles, and that the earth "trembled Avhen they charged we can well imagine AA'hen tha large bulls are known to weigh 20001b the coavs 12001b. The question of interest today is, lioav Avas it possible to destroy so many animals in so short a time, and what methods Avere employed? The natural fatalities Avere feAV compared to the enormous numbers. The coav bison displays little affection for her young, and many calves Avere lost every year; but all in all the conditions were extremely favourable to them, and their increase was enormous. Many were destroyed by stampeding over precipices. In 1867, 2000 buffaloes, or half a herd, became entangled in the quicksands of the Platto RiA-er. It is a dark and disagreeable subject to probe, but it is interesting to note some of the methods of these national calamitymakers. A band of half-breeds in tAvo hunts, according to Ross, killed 47,770 buffaloes, 620 men being engaged in the" sport, out of which about 30,000 animals were wasted or partly eaten. . . . That the real extermination of the buffalo was caused by the demands of trade there can be no doubt, aided and abetted by sportsmen, Indians, and others ; but tfie blame really lies Avith the Government that in all these years permitted a few ignorant congressmen to block the legislature in favour of the protection of the bison, so that all the efforts of humanitarians were defeated, and the bills AA'hen passed pigeon-holed.