BEARS AND POLAR OXEN. 161 



As we were wending our way up the slopes, we suddenly 

 became aware of three polar oxen high up in a steep, rocky 

 place. It was impossible to stalk them without being seen, so 

 I thought it better to fetch the dogs, in case the animals should 

 make off. On the way down to them we met Schei, who was 

 more than willing to join us. When we returned, with two dogs 

 each, we found that the oxen had moved further down the slope, 

 and that we could now advance unseen to within a couple of 

 hundred yards' distance. I overrated the distance at first, taking 

 it for three hundred yards, and although I do not usually move the 

 sights, I did so on this occasion. If one happens to be using a gun 

 which has so flat a trajectory as a Krag-Jorgensen, it is better, I 

 should say, not to move the sights at all, but rather to take a full 

 sight and aim high. 



My first bullet I heard singing among the rocks over the heads 

 of the animals ; my two next struck one each, and although the 

 oxen remained on their feet, I could see that they had had enough. 

 A large ox was still standing a little distance off, so I let go 

 the dogs on to it, and left Simmons and Schei to do the rest. It 

 was their first experience of polar-ox shooting. They followed 

 the animal a little way along the flat-topped ridge of sand, and 

 then Schei dropped down behind a stone, from which he meant to 

 get a resting shot. Simmons was just standing wondering whether 

 he should do likewise, but before he could make up his mind, 

 the ox set off full gallop down the slope, the stones and earth 

 flying from under its hoofs. It headed straight for the discomfited 

 sportsmen, with all the pack after it, and so extraordinarily quick 

 was the animal, that not one of the dogs could keep up with it. 



It could not have been pleasant to be Simmons or Schei at 

 that moment. It was difficult for either of them to shoot, for if 

 they missed they might hit a dog ; and in any case to shoot resting 

 was an impossibility. This Schei also perceived, and he started up to 

 aim ; but the ox advanced on him so rapidly that he was not ready 

 for it in time. The same was the case with Simmons he had got 

 a cartridge jammed and now there was only one thing left for 

 them to do run to one side to avoid being tossed by the animal. 



I had my own reflections on the subject as I stood looking on 



VOL. I. M 



