Page:Early western travels, 1748-1846 (1907 Volume 3).djvu/77

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The 7th of October 1795 my guide killed a Buffalo which he considered to be about four years old. It seemed to weigh over nine hundred pounds. As it was not very fat my guide told me it was very common to see animals at that age weighing over twelve hundred pounds. It seemed larger than any Oxen in France and to surpass them in length and size.

Thursday the 8th saw another Buffalo thirty toises from our Road. We stopped to look at it. It walked very slowly but after a couple of minutes it stopped and, recognizing us, ran away with extraordinary speed. On the same day arrived at Fort Cheroquis otherwise called Fort Massac by the Americans.[139] 125 Miles.

The 9th of October 1795 herborised on the bank of the Mississipi: Platanus Liquidamber Bonducs, pekan Nut-trees, hiccory Nut-trees, called by the French Noyers durs; prickly Nuts (by the French Noyer amer) round Nuts. White Oak, Quercus alba, Quercus rubra ramosissima, Quercus cerroides (by the French chêne frisé and by the Americans overcup White Oak) Quercus prinus, Quercus integrifolia[140] or Quercus foliis junioribus omnibus et adultis semper integerrimis margine undulatis apice setaceis. This species of oak abounds in the Illinois Country. It loses its leaves later than the other