162 NEW LAND. 



at the performance, but they were of short duration. At the 

 mad pace at which the ox was going it was impossible for it 

 to remain up under the boulders, and so down it came, heading 

 straight for me. Here was a dilemma! Behind the ox were 

 both the shooters and the dogs, and if I missed, one or other 

 of them might be killed. There was no time for hesitation, 

 however, go I sent the ox a bullet at twenty yards' distance, but 

 without it having the slightest effect. It rushed straight on me 

 with the same furious speed as before, and there was absolutely no 

 possibility of getting in a new cartridge. I had to do as my 

 comrades had done before me. The animal flashed past, but my 

 second shot being ready just as it was turning round, I gave it a 

 charge which hit it on the nape, at the back of the head. It fell 

 on the spot. It was a fine animal, with the biggest horns I had 

 seen up to that time ; and it was quite capable of using them too. 

 The first shot it received had grazed the lower extremity of the 

 heart, but it had no effect apparent at the time. The polar ox is, 

 without doubt, the most invulnerable animal I know ; the amount 

 of lead it can take is almost incredible. 



My comrades despatched the wounded ox, and we all three had 

 enough to do for the rest of the day skinning and disjointing the 

 animals, and bringing the flesh and skins down to the tent. We 

 deserved a few hours' sleep, we thought, after such work as that. 



Then we began on our business in earnest. Schei measured 

 the glacier; Simmons examined the sands between the water and 

 the glacier, and visited the west side of the fjord. He, however, 

 spent most of his time botanizing with me; from our hunting- 

 ground inwards, along the slopes, as far as the glacier. 



In the fine weather we were now having, this fjord-arm, with 

 the high mountains round it, looked most beautiful. It was 

 full summer in here, and the grass was very abundant, growing 

 in waving patches for long distances together, in which were 

 multitudes of red and yellow sweet-scented flowers. Here we 

 found our dear old friends, the lovely little Linnaea, the buttercup, 

 saxifrages, and many other kinds. In fact, I feel almost tempted 

 to recommend Beitstadfjord as a summer resort but only in fine 

 weather. 



