224 ^ Sporting Tour in Norzvay. [Sess. 



I could not get a shot except at his head, which I specially 

 wished to avoid striking, as already I anticipated with pride 

 showing it to my friends as an ornament in my lobby ! I 

 could not help observing how difficult he was to see, so closely 

 has Nature assimilated the colour of his skin to his natural 

 surroundings, the trunks of the trees. Turning his head to the 

 side to keep off the dog, which was barking round in front of 

 him, he exposed his neck and shoulder, and I took aim. To 

 hold steady after such a run was impossible, but I brought the 

 rifle slowly up, and when passing the broadest part of his 

 neck, pressed the trigger. I could not tell the result, and ran 

 to the spot as fast as I was able, but no elk was to be seen. 

 Surely I could not have missed such a mark. Impossible ! 

 Still, a fear crept over me that, after such a terrible run, and 

 perhaps a slight attack of elk fever, it %vas possible. I hardly 

 knew what to think, when the barking of Bjune a few hundred 

 yards off made it clear that the elk was again at bay. " He 

 is all right," shouted my companion behind me, and again I 

 hastened to the scene of action. Having reloaded the empty 

 barrel, I ran on with the rifle at full cock, but did not get 

 sight of the elk till within forty yards of him, when I observed 

 he was on his knees. Directly he saw me, he got on his feet, 

 and was making off; but as he was broadside on, I sent a 

 bullet through his heart, and he dropped dead. Pamning 

 forward utterly exhausted, I threw myself on the body of my 

 victim till I regained my breath. Helge soon came up with 

 Nor, and we lost no time in returning home, in order that 

 men, ponies, and a sleigh might be sent to bring back the 

 trophy. It was dusk before the men arrived with the elk, 

 when it was found that it weighed 960 lb. Getting the head 

 and skin, I started the following morning for Christiania, 

 when I sent them to a stuffer to be preserved. 



After viewing the principal sights of the Norwegian capital, 

 I set sail for Bergen, which I reached in three days ; my com- 

 panions leaving me at Christiansand, en route for England. 

 Reaching Bergen in a downpour of rain, I travelled by rail to 

 Vossevangen. Though only a distance of sixty-five English 

 miles, the train passed through fifty-five tunnels between these 

 places, many parts of the line being cut out of the solid rock. 

 Staying all night at the Vossevangen Hotel, I started the 



