74 The Musk-ox 



without a dog, and when I had got to within 

 seventy-five feet of him he suddenly stopped 

 running and faced me, setting his stern against a 

 rock — or, rather, over it, for it was quite a small 

 rock. I walked up to within about thirty or forty 

 feet of him, and took a head shot. I thought 

 to see if I could reach his brain, but the boss of 

 his great frontal horn protects it, except for the 

 small opening of an inch where the horns are 

 divided. Then with an idea of putting a ball 

 back of his shoulder or back of his ear, I tried 

 to get on his side, but as I moved, he moved, 

 always keeping his head straight at me, and we 

 made several complete circles ; yet, in that time, 

 — I suppose ten or fifteen minutes — he never 

 offered to charge. If a straggling dog had not 

 come my way and attracted the bull's attention, 

 I probably never would have got the chance of 

 a shoulder shot. Mr. Pike, whom, of living men, 

 I consider to have made the most extended study 

 of the musk-ox, agrees entirely with my view of 

 the animal so far as its charging is concerned. 

 Perhaps the musk-ox might charge if you walked 

 up and pulled his ear, but I doubt if he would 

 under less provocation, and really, I do not feel 

 so certain that he would even then. He seems a 



