HAPPY HUNTING GROUNDS. 257 



party had had something to eat. Bay, however, came to my help, 

 for he called in : ' Just look out here a minute ! ' Fosheim, who 

 was sitting near the door, unhooked a couple of hooks and looked 

 out, while ' at the same moment Bay threw in a string of hearts 

 and bits of meat for boiling. This was indeed beyond our boldest 

 hopes. It was so long since we had had beef, that I had not a 

 moment's hesitation as to how it should be cooked : it should be 

 boiled. Meat like this was too good for frying, and besides, if 

 cooked as aforesaid, it would give us at the same time some 

 delicious soup, to which 'Juliana,' or strips of vegetable, could 

 be added. 



A few minutes afterwards the pot was boiling. I know 

 nothing so deliciously fragrant as the smell of a steaming flesh- 

 pot in such circumstances as ours. Our pleasures were few 

 enough up there, and when we had been toiling and struggling in 

 the cold for hours at a time, this odour seemed so delicious, that 

 the first whiff of it put us into good spirits at once. 



When we had eaten to repletion, and had filled our pipes, Bay 

 and Schei related the events of the day. Having, as they said, 

 reached the big plain inside the fjord, which we had thought 

 was sandy soil covered with snow, but which proved to be extensive 

 and continuous grass-land, they found tracks at once ; and after the 

 lapse of half an hour caught sight of six polar oxen under some 

 steep stony ground a little distance up from the river. 



They immediately made their plan of attack. Schei was to 

 try and get within range from the cover of some heights on the 

 north side of the river ; while Bay was to keep on the other side, 

 where he also could find cover almost till he reached the animals. 

 This lengthy and cautious stalking, however, was not at all in 

 accordance with Bay's temperament, and after a little while he 

 determined to go straight ahead. The animals were so astonished 

 at this novel mode of attack, that they stood quite still. As 

 Schei now approached from the opposite side, the oxen formed 

 a square by way of defending themselves, and the shooting 

 began. The last two or three animals broke away and headed for 

 the mountains, but were stopped by the deep snow, and shot. 

 Afterwards began the flaying and cutting up. Our sportsmen had 

 VOL. J. S 



