Report of the First Thule Expedition 1912. 391 



a good sledge route, they even made their way across to Axel Heibergs 

 Land, and killed 55 head, and it is hardly likely that this journey will 

 be their last. Moreover, some half-dozen families have taken up their 

 winter quarters at different places in Ellesmere Land, — possibly even 

 in North Devon (Cape Sparbo). 



As far as Peary Land is concerned, the musk ox there are safe enough 

 for long years to come. From the wolf, which is generally regarded as 

 their most dangerous enemy, they have probably little to fear; at any 

 rate, as soon as they have passed their first year. The well-known square 

 formation which they adopt when attacked is a practically impregnable 

 defence; we have at least seen cases where our own dogs, accustomed 

 as they were to dealing with bears, found themselves powerless against 

 musk ox, even when outnumbering them by 20 to 3. And while the 

 wolves may doubtless be supposed to be better equipped for the contest 

 than our dogs, they do not in all probability operate in large packs. 



Even when alone, however, the musk ox evinced no fear of the 

 dogs, as long as they could reach a rock or cliff to guard them against 

 any attack from the rear. We have also known a solitary musk ox^ 

 when tackled on an open plain, take up its position in the middle of a 

 rushing river, where the depth and swiftness of the water rendered it 

 difficult for the dogs to move — so much so, indeed, that the attempt 

 cost one of our beasts its life. A musk ox can gore a dog, ripping its 

 body from end to end, or toss it to such a height as to disable it in the fall. 



The musk ox are swift runners, a fact which has been disputed by 

 various writers. The dogs cannot overtake them, at any rate at the 

 start, when they dash off to seek a suitable position where they can 

 form square — the top of a hill, for instance — or other natural pro- 

 tection. And when they make a sortie, the dogs are frequently 

 unable to escape: one of our dogs was gored from behind in this way, 

 and received a wound which rendered it helpless for days. The musk 

 ox do not, however, always exhibit the same amount of energy in resis- 

 ting attack: this depends, perhaps, to some extent upon their estimate 

 of the danger. 



I am unable to say whether they feel any severe pain on being hit: 

 I have never seen them give up the struggle until physically compelled. 

 I have twice had the misfortune to break one of their forelegs with a 

 bullet: in both cases the beast appeared to forget the injury between 

 each step and the next, as it continued to tread with the wounded leg 

 until it fell. The slight growl or snort which they give from time to 

 time is not, as far as I can see, induced by wounds or pain. 



Frequent records have been made as to the finding of dead musk 

 ox "killed by wolves", the correctness of which it is perhaps not easy 

 to dispute. I may nevertheless observe that it will doubtless be a matter 

 of considerable difficulty to determine whether the wolves had com- 

 menced operations before or after death of their prey. One thing is 



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