nce; and as he was hastening forward to see
if the shot had taken effect, the wounded beast made a rush at him. He
had the presence of mind to seize the animal by the long hair on his
forehead, as it struck him on the side with its horn, and being a
remarkably tall and powerful man, a struggle ensued, which continued
until his wrist was severely sprained, and his arm was rendered
powerless; he then fell, and after receiving two or three blows, became
senseless.

"Shortly after, he was found by his companions lying bathed in blood,
being gored in several places; and the bison was couched beside him,
apparently waiting to renew the attack, had he shown any signs of life.
Mr McDonald recovered from the immediate effects of the injuries he
received, but died a few months after." Dr Richardson adds:--"Many
other instances might be mentioned of the tenaciousness with which this
animal pursues its revenge; and I have been told of a hunter having been
detained for many hours in a tree, by an old bull which had taken its
post below to watch him."

The numbers of the buffalo, although still very great, are annually on
the decrease. Their woolly skins, when dressed, are of great value as
an article of commerce. Among the Canadians they are in general use;
they constitute the favourite wrappers of the traveller in that cold
climate: they line the cariole, the carriage, and the sleigh. Thousands
of them are used in the northern parts of the United States for a
similar purpose. They are known as buffalo-robes, and are often
prettily trimmed and ornamented, so as to command a good price. They
are even exported to Europe in large quantities.

Of course this extensive demand for the robes causes a proportionate
destruction among the buffaloes. But this is not all. Whole tribes of
Indians, amounting to many thousands of individuals, subsist entirely
upon these animals, as the Laplander upon the reindeer, or the Guarani
Indian upon the _moriche_ palm. Their blankets are buffalo-robes, part
of their clothing buffalo-leather, their tents are buffalo-hides, and
buffalo-beef is their sole food for three parts of the year. The large
prairie tribes--as the Sioux, the Pawnees, the Blackfeet, the Crows, the
Chiennes, the Arapahoes, and the Comanches, with several smaller bands--
live upon the buffalo. These tribes, united, number at least 100,000
souls. No wonder the buffalo should be each year diminishing in
numbers!

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