368 SHOOT A MUSK-OX. 



shore of the river, in which quarter the descent, 

 now manifest, as well as the hollow roar, plainly 

 indicated something which at that late hour it 

 was prudent to avoid; and, to say the truth, 

 however habit may in most things produce a sort 

 of callous indifference to danger, I had abundant 

 proof this day that the rule does not always hold 

 good, for the very dlite of my men were begin- 

 ning to evince a cautiousness which was quite 

 new to them ; and the order for encamping was 

 executed with a very significant alacrity. 



Within a few hundred yards of us, nine white 

 wolves were prowling round a herd of musk 

 oxen, one of which was shot ; but, being a bull, 

 was too strongly scented to be eaten. As there 

 was no possibility of making a portage, should 

 it be necessary, on the side where we had en- 

 camped, at daylight of the following lorning 

 we pulled up stream to cross over, and see if 

 it was more favourable on the other side. The 

 descent broke over a fall five feet deep, opposite 

 to a gloomy chasm in the rock ; but as it did not 

 reach quite to the eastern side, the boat was 

 enabled to pass it, and then ran the Wolf Rapid. 

 Some of the animals whose name it bore seemed 

 to be keeping a brisk look-out for what might 

 happen. 



Several other rapids (for there was no end of 

 them) worked their way between high rocks, 

 which now, for the first time since the river had 



