It proved to be the largest female they had ever seen, and was so old that its tusks were worn quite smooth.

The boats escaped with difficulty between two herds of buffalo that were crossing the river, and came near being again detained by them.

Among the elk of this neighborhood they saw an unusual number of males, while higher up the herds consisted chiefly of females." It is almost incredible that these wild animals should have been so nearly exterminated by hunters and other rovers of the plains, very soon after travel set in across the continent.

The writer of these lines, who crossed the plains to California so lately as 1856, saw buffalo killed for the sake of their tongues, or to give rifle practice to the wayfarers.

After the overland railroad was opened, passengers shot buffalo from the car-windows, well knowing that they could not get their game, even if they should kill as they flew by a herd.