ACROSS ELLESMERE LAND. 121 



afternoon observations, while Bay, the mate, and I went farther 

 afield to reconnoitre. 



During our reconnaissance I scanned the country eagerly for 

 polar oxen ; it would be very convenient if we could shoot one 

 so that the mate could take back the meat with him. A little 

 way up the valley, we saw the tracks of an animal, but could 

 not discover its whereabouts, so we wended our way up the 

 stony northern side of the valley to shoot hares, and as there 



Ifexefjeld. Slaughter-ground. 



ON THE ISTHMUS BETWEEN FLAGLEB FJORD AND BAY FJORD. 



were plenty of them about, the shots followed on one another 

 pretty thickly. 



The mate and I went together, but he was so taken up 

 looking for polar oxen, that he quite forgot the hares, so conse- 

 quently I did most of the execution. As I was going quietly on 

 my way, the mate, who was behind, came running after me to 

 say that he had seen some big animals on the other side of the 

 river, which he felt sure must be polar oxen. He was quite right. 

 As soon as we could, we got hold of Bay, who was hare-shooting 

 on his own account, and we all three started off after the 



