A Tale of Slaughter.
Mr. William Ogilvie, in his report of 1888 wrote:—“The wood buffalo which formerly roamed around all the upper waters, is now nearly a thing of the past. A few still remain scattered over a wide district. Could some means be devised to protect them for some years they would probably soon multiply and become a source of food supply and revenue to the natives. Mr. McDougall (of the Hudson’s Bay Company), who has for some years past been gathering information concerning the number of these animals and their locality, has kindly given me the following notes:—In the winter of 1887-88, on the head waters of Hay river, which flows into point:—“Rumours that the wolves were destroying the buffalo were current everywhere. Some went so far as to say that these wolves were a new and larger race come in from the barren grounds, to prey on them. Such rumours were repeated at every point in much the same words, without details. This aroused my suspicions.”
At Smith Landing, where the party arrived June 7, the Inspector met Pierre Squirrel, chief of the Chipewyans, and arranged for a meeting of the chiefs and hunters who knew the buffalo country near there. At the meeting next day, Mr. Jarvis told them he had come to investigate the buffalo question, and if necessary, to take steps for the destruction of the wolves; that he must go in person to the buffalo country, and if possible see the buffalo and the wolves. Countless objections were raised to his plans. The whole country was under from one to five feet of water, according to one statement. The party would not get a dry spot to sleep on, according to another. They would be devoured by flies; would die of rheumatic fever; it was impossible to find the buffalo; they might be hundreds of miles off at that moment.
Royal Northwest Mounted Police Barracks at Smith Landing.
On the thirteenth, Inspector Jarvis left Smith Landing and after a long day’s march in a west-southwest direction reached Salt river. None of the swamps so much talked of proved very serious, and it was evident that all were dry in late summer. At one point only was a true bog seen and it extended for only half a mile. The following day, following the course of Salt river downward, the first buffalo were sighted. Inspector Jarvis writes in his report:—“The trails, wallows and chips of buffalo became noticeable, but as they were old we gave them only passing note. But when two perfectly fresh ones appeared, we dismounted to follow them on foot. I took charge of the horses as the flies were very thick. Great Slave lake, and west of Battle river, a tributary of the Peace, the Indians saw three bands containing seventeen, ten, and four, respectively; they killed five, but Mr. McDougall did not ascertain whether or not these were in addition to the above numbers. The same winter three bands were seen between Salt river and Peace point on Peace river, numbering fifty, twenty-five, and about twenty-five, respectively. None of these are reported to have been killed. During the winter of 1886-87, between the north end of Birch and the south end of Thickwood mountains, distant about one day or thirty miles from McMurray on Athabaska river, one band of about thirteen was seen. Since then five of this band have been killed. Below Red river, a tributary of the Athabaska, and between Birch mountains and Athabaska river, and ranging down to Poplar point on the Athabaska, another band said to contain about twenty was seen. Altogether we have only about one hundred and eighty head of wood buffalo in this vast extent of territory. The paucity of their number is, to some extent, a protection to them. If they escape epidemics and such a winter as almost exterminated them on the upper Peace some years ago, they may possibly increase. Whenever the Indians come across a band they try to exterminate them whether they need them for food or not. They try to drive them into a bog, if one be convenient, and, if they succeed in this their object is soon accomplished, for the poor brutes mire in the bog and are quickly killed. The Indian feels, after accomplishing a feat of this kind, as if he had won a battle, and never thinks of a reduction in his food supply.”
Since Mr. Ogilvie’s report was penned; and partly as a result of it, steps have been taken to protect the wood buffalo, and for years back, the few members of the gallant Northwest Mounted Police in Athabaska country have devoted considerable energy to enforcing the law which prohibits the hunting of the buffalo. The most authentic portion of the more recent information we have as to the present extent and condition of the herds of wood buffalo is obtained from the reports of officers and non-commissioned officers of the distinguished force mentioned.
Present Condition of Wood Buffalo.
In 1907 Inspector A. M. Jarvis, C.M.G., was specially despatched from headquarters at Regina to the Athabaska country[[17]] to ascertain the existing numbers and condition of the wood buffalo and to recommend means for their protection.
Inspector Jarvis, accompanied by the well known naturalist, Mr. E. Thompson Seton, left McMurray for the north on June 29. He wrote in his report at this and sent Mr. Seton on with his camera. Beaulieu stalked them exactly as he would a moose, and in about an hour led Mr. Seton to an open glade where in plain view was