Mr. Christie, speaking of the possibility of using the wood buffalo for hybridization purposes, explained that as far back as 1842, the Hudson’s Bay Company had at Edmonton a herd of buffalo. They began by taking some calves, and from these the herd increased until they had some thirty altogether. These used to herd out with the other cattle and come in with them. All at once the buffalo came near Edmonton and this herd went off with the others. It was the impression then, from their mixing with the other cattle, that they would not cross, because there were not any signs of it.
Mr. H. J. Moberly, another Chief Factor of the Hudson’s Bay Company, submitted a statement in writing to the Senate committee of 1887 in which he stated that as to wood buffalo there was a band, probably about two hundred, between the Saskatchewan and the Athabaska. They kept on the mountains between Lac la Biche and McMurray, and another band, probably about three hundred strong, was between Athabaska and Peace rivers on Thickwood and Birch mountains. A third band, probably seven hundred strong, was scattered through the mountains between Liard and Peace rivers, and from Salt river to the foot of Rocky mountains.
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.