THE MUSK-OX 201 



where he found the musk-ox, would prove disastrous 

 in the extreme. A powerful field-glass is desirable in 

 huntinof the musk-oxen. The distances are tremendous 

 and the animals few and hard to find. Often the 

 Indians return from the hunt without having seen an 

 ox. All shooters who go into the Barren Grounds rely 

 largely upon the caribou for subsistence. Mr. War- 

 burton Pike made a special preliminary trip for these 

 animals, storing his meat in places where he could find 

 it when he afterward went in to shoot the musk-ox, 



Schwatka tells us, as I have observed, that the 

 oxen and the caribou can be discovered by a vapor 

 which arises from their bodies and which is visible 

 on a clear day for miles. This can be seen when 

 the animals are scarcely visible, and w^ould most 

 likely pass unnoticed. The Indians are said to be able 

 to tell what the game is (whether caribou or oxen) 

 when they discover the vapor in the air. This is, of 

 course, most remarkable if true. 



When the game is discovered an attempt is made to 

 approach it as closely as possible, before it takes the 

 alarm. The dogs are then released from the sleds and 

 race awa}' after the fleeing animals. Musk-oxen travel 

 rapidly and have great endurance, and the chase is 

 often a long one before the animals are brought to bay. 



The rifle should be a repeater, carrying a heavy ball. 

 More than one shot is often required to despatch one 

 of these animals, and when once a herd has been over- 

 hauled it is usual to kill a number of animals to provide 

 meat for the dogs and Indians. Mr. Whitney carried 

 the .45-90 half-magazine Winchester, an excellent 

 weapon for all big-game shooting. 



