952 A VOYAGE OF DISCOVERY 
finer kind of an ash colour, which was indeed as 
fine as any wool, and would certainly, if manufac- 
tured, make as fine cloth as any English wool. 
Mr, Pennant, indeed, mentions, in his description 
of the musk-ox, that a man of the name of Jeremie 
had stockings made of the wool, or hair, of that 
animal, which were equally as fine as any silk 
stockings. It would seem, that the animal casts 
this fleecy covering annually, for in the thick part 
of the mane, and on each side of the neck, there 
was a layer of this wool quite detached from the 
body of the animal, and only prevented from 
falling off, by being interwoven amongst the long 
hair. The hair on his forehead was all matted 
into small lumps with earth, and the roots of the 
horns were also covered with it, from which it 
would appear, that he was in the habit of tearing up 
the ground with his head ; of this, indeed, we were 
ourselves eye-witnesses in one instance, for after we 
had surrounded an ox, so as to prevent his escape, 
he began rubbing his head against the ground, 
as if threatening us with destruction if we approach- 
ed nearer, and I have no doubt, that to any animal 
that inhabits these regions, not excepting the bear 
itself, he would be a formidable antagonist. His 
flesh tastes a good deal of musk, but not so much as 
to be disagreeable ; on this point, however, I ought 
to pay some deference to the opinion of a few per- 
sons amongst us who think differently. With re- 
gard to the heart and liver, it was agreed by all 
parties that they were not very palatable ; and those 
who ate the kidnies say, that they tasted more 
musky than any other part. To conclude the 
