308 HUNTING WITH THE ESKIMOS 



infuriated bull broke from the ranks and with low- 

 ered head charged me. I had no further business in 

 that immediate vicinity and proceeded to establish 

 a sprinting record in the opposite direction. 



While I am not an aspirant for athletic honors, 

 many times since I have been sorry there was no one 

 present with a stop watch to time that effort. Tuk- 

 shu held his fire much longer than I thought neces- 

 sary under the circumstances. Perhaps he was in- 

 terested in my performance. Finally, however, he 

 did fire, and the beast dropped at my heels. 



Fortunately its body became wedged between two 

 rocks, where it hung until we were able to prop it 

 up. Thus all four of the musk-oxen were secured 

 without damage to the skins, though it was with the 

 utmost difficulty that we finally succeeded in get- 

 ting the trophies into camp. 



I was now so tired that even the kettle of meat 

 had lost its attraction and I ate very little. I was 

 too utterly weary, in fact, to remove my clothing be- 

 fore crawling into my sleeping-bag to rest. Once 

 there, I told Eiseeyou that if he sighted any more 

 musk-oxen he and the others could go for them if 

 they chose, but as for myself, I intended to sleep, 

 whatever else happened. 



In the excitement of the chase I had taken off my 

 dark glasses, and now felt the first pains of snow- 

 blindness. Bruised feet, inflamed eyes, completely 

 exhausted, I cannot remember that in all my life I 

 ever experienced greater misery of body than at that 

 moment. But after several hours of slumber, fol- 



