June, 1869.] TJlB Mush-Ox Hufit. 413 



read: "Musk-cattle killed, 79; deer, 18." The skins of the musk- 

 cattle weighed 873 pounds. The weights in gross of the two sledges 

 from the date of May 28, including the weight of provisions, heavy 

 boxes of Franklin relics, the musk-ox meat 

 and skins, and the passengers who rode, 

 had sometimes exceeded 300 pounds for 

 each dog of the team. 



The striking points of the most suc- 

 cessful of the musk-ox hunts are illustra- 

 tive of Innuit customs and of the habits of 



HOKNS OF A DKKR SHOT BY HALL, 



the ox when attacked. The fight was at ^^'^'^ 



the place marked on the map of this chapter as Encampment No. 

 44, where two bands were successively seen. When the first of these 

 was surrounded, as soon as they perceived that the dogs were slipped, 

 they formed into their usual one circle of defense, "a musk-bull 

 battery of nine solid battering heads and twice the number of sharp- 

 ened horns." The dogs were quickly at these heads, barking and 

 jumping back and forward, while the hunters made no haste to ad- 

 vance, for they knew that the bulls would stand their ground all day 

 if no other enemies came. 



"After a few minutes' watch of the movements of dog versus bull 

 and bull versus dog," the old hunter, In-nook-poo-zhee-jooh went forward 

 to within twelve feet of a large bull, carrying a lance which had a fine 

 attached by which he could draw it back ; but at liis second throw, 

 the wounded and infuriated bull made a fearful forward plunge, from 

 the effects of which the hunter and his companions escaped only by a 

 ver}^ timely jump to the left The bull was soon again brought to 

 bay. Ou-e-la then pulled trigger on another "noble bull of the circle 



