396 P. Freuchen. 



we were first discovered by the five of them, the sixth grazing on a Httle 

 distance away. Not until we had begun to fire, and the dogs to give 

 tongue, did it take any notice of us, and then, despite the fact that we 

 stood between it and the rest, it dashed up to take part in the defence, 

 apparently never thinking of flight. The calf was pushed in to the centre 

 of the herd, and the old cows took the lead. Botii these had milk in 

 their udders: on commencing to suck one of these, I noticed a peculiar 

 taste, and on examination, found that the milk was clear, like water, 

 though plentiful in quantity. The milk of the other was rich and good. 



Their stomachs were all well filled: as far as we could see they had 

 eaten only Salix arctica, disregarding all else. 



On the 13th June we found a dead musk ox floating in the narrow 

 channel between the ice and the land. The animal had probably been 

 drowned m the autumn, in trying to get out on to the young ice. The 

 carcase was only slightly decomposed, and had not been gnawed by 

 wolves or foxes. Next morning, while at the same place (west of Brøn- 

 lunds Fjord) 8 musk ox came down towards the tent. We shot three 

 of them; one bull, one cow, and a yearling heifer, all in fairly good con- 

 dition. We did not loose the dogs at them, and the rest of the herd went 

 on calmly grazing after we had brought down their three companions. 



On the 16th June, farther up in Independence Fjord, we sighted 

 from where we were on the ice three musk ox and later one more, pos- 

 sibly belonging to the same (large) herd, moving eastward. 



At the base of Independence Fjord the diabase breaks out through 

 the sediment; the coast becomes steep, and vegetation extremely scarce. 

 Only a few tracks of musk ox were here seen; the animals doubtless 

 only pass here on their way to other grounds. 



In Adam Bierings Land we found everywhere many tracks of musk ox. 



On the 25th June we shot three old bulls in Valmuedalen, they 

 were fairly fat, and had already shed a good deal of fur. 



On the 29th June, not far from the same place, we shot a solitary 

 bull. It was a huge beast, and very wild, turning furiously on the dogs, 

 and taking up a position in a rapid river, where the water came up to 

 its belly. 



On the 2nd July, some 15 kilometres farther north along Valmue- 

 dalen, we shot 13. They were grazing in three parties, first two bulls 

 alone, then two more a little way off, and farther again a larger group, 

 of 5 cows, 2 young bulls and 2 calves. Before loosing the dogs, Knud 

 Rasmussen went straight up to the two bulls, to see what they would 

 do. The one which sighted him first started up in fright, and made as 

 though to run, but as it turned, it happened to knock against its com- 

 panion. The latter became enraged at this, and struck out in turn, 

 with the result that a regular battle took place between the two. Both 

 moved back, stamping and snorting, in opposite directions, until they 

 were some 20 or 30 metres apart, whereupon they dashed at each other 



