BUTTED AND POUNDED. 305 



to go on more quickly ; but probably finding this in- 

 convenient, he turned aside among some immense 

 rocks, which seemed to have rolled down from the 

 surrounding heights, and was lost to view. Thinking 

 that I now was certain of him, I ran forward with 

 increased eagerness and soon reached the rocks. Just 

 as I was about to turn the corner of a huge boulder, 

 the musk-ox, which must have been lying in wait for 

 me, suddenly charged with such ferocity that before I 

 could raise my rifle it was dashed from my hands, and 

 I was myself knocked backwards with great violence 

 among the rocks. The infuriated beast butted at me 

 with his huge horns as I lay on the ground, and several 

 times pounded me beneath his hoofs. Two or three 

 times I attempted to rise, but was as often knocked 

 down again. 



" I almost gave myself up for lost, when, looking 

 round for some place of refuge, I suddenly noticed a 

 recess close to me into which I might squeeze myself. 

 Taking advantage of a stumble made by my adversary, 

 I sprang into the friendly nook; and as I did so I heard, 

 just behind, the hollow crash of the musk-ox's horns as 

 he came in violent collision with the rocks. I was now 

 safe for the present at any rate. My savage jailer 

 glowered at me from under the penthouse of his shaggy 

 brows, enraged at being cheated of his victim. The 

 recess in which I had taken refuge was a cleft in an 

 immense rock, and looking upward I could see the sky. 

 I now thought that I might scramble to the top by 



