As the party journeyed up from the coast, marking the line which now
constitutes the interstate boundary, three buffaloes were seen on
Sugar-Tree Creek, but none of them were killed.

On the return journey, in November, a bull buffalo was killed on
Sugar-Tree Creek, which is in Halifax County, Virginia, within 5 miles
of Big Buffalo Creek; longitude 78° 40' W., and 155 miles from the
coast.[4] "It was found all alone, tho' Buffaloes Seldom are." The meat
is spoken of as "a Rarity," not met at all on the expedition up. The
animal was found in thick woods, which were thus feelingly described:
"The woods were thick great Part of this Day's Journey, so that we were
forced to scuffle hard to advance 7 miles, being equal in fatigue to
double that distance of Clear and Open Ground." One of the creeks which
the party crossed was christened Buffalo Creek, and "so named from the
frequent tokens we discovered of that American Behemoth."

[Note 4: Westover Manuscript. Col. William Byrd. Vol. I, p. 178.]

In October, 1733, on another surveying expedition, Colonel Byrd's party
had the good fortune to kill another buffalo near Sugar-Tree Creek,
which incident is thus described:[5]

[Note 5: Vol. II, pp. 24, 25.]

"We pursued our journey thro' uneven and perplext woods, and in the
thickest of them had the Fortune to knock down a Young Buffalo 2 years
old. Providence threw this vast animal in our way very Seasonably, just
as our provisions began to fail us. And it was the more welcome, too,
because it was change of dyet, which of all Varietys, next to that of