22 XEW LAND. 



other side. Here was a chance for Bay, who was resolved on pos- 

 sessing a skeleton. He was determined to cross the river at any 

 price, and started off to make the attempt. First he went up 

 stream, but the gradient was so steep that the river rushed out in 

 a fall to a depth that made wading impossible. Then he tried 

 down stream, at a spot where the river spread itself out over a 

 large expanse of sand behow the slopes. Although both deep and 

 swift, it was not quite so impossible here as farther up, but as a 

 set-off it was several hundred yards wide. Bay, however, was 

 quite in his element, and liked nothing so well as a good wade in 

 ice-cold water ; and certainly there was as much of it here as he 

 could possibly desire. 



He set out, provided with gun, ammunition, flaying-knife, and a 

 long stick by way of support. But even for Bay it was not an easy 

 matter, and it was as much as he could do to get across. The water 

 reached to his middle, and carried him some little distance down 

 stream, but across he meant to go, and across he eventually got. 

 The next thing was the pursuit of the oxen. At first he had 

 cover, and advanced cautiously towards a boulder a little way up the 

 bank, and within very fair range of the animals. After a good 

 deal of trouble he reached the boulder, and prepared for an attack. 



Suddenly one of the oxen caught sight of him, and came 

 stealthily snuffing down to examine this curious phenomenon. Bay 

 took steady aim, and let blaze. He hit his mark of course, but 

 the ox was not to be daunted by such a trifle, and continued its 

 way, with the difference only that it increased its pace, and set a 

 course straight on Bay. 



Bay is one of those lucky people who never grow nervous and 

 shaky because an all-important moment is at hand. He lay still 

 where he was, and shot as quickly as his 'Buchsflinte' would 

 allow of it. According to his account he aimed true each time, 

 but the ox was quite as undisturbed and steady as the man behind 

 the stone. To the onlookers things seemed to be getting pretty 

 serious. Nearer and nearer came the ox, at a steady pace, and 

 Bay apparently fired into it time after time. Not a shot seemed 

 to take effect, and he had to confess later that he had found his 

 match. It was not till the animal was within a few paces of the 



