258 ON SXOW- SHOES TO THE BARREN GROUNDS 



cow and two bulls, but had only one bull head to show for 

 my work, and that one somewhat imperfect. 



Following Seco, who was acting as foregoer, our seven 

 dog trains stretched out in a long, plodding column. I 

 was the fourth in the procession, toiling along, head down, 

 and mind busy casting up the prospects. Suddenly my 

 dogs stopped, and I stumbled over the tail of my sledge 

 to discover the others in front had stopped, and we had 

 bunched up like runaway freight-cars brought to a sudden 

 and full stop. The Indians were loosening their dogs, and 

 my heart leaped within me and I forgot the storm and my 

 despair, for here I was to have another chance at getting 

 the two heads I still wanted, and I prayed the herd sight- 

 ed might prove to contain at least that many bulls. 



We had been travelling up a long, narrow hollow be- 

 tween two ridges, and Seco, who was several hundred 

 yards ahead of the leading sledge, had come on to the 

 herd of musk-oxen before they discovered him, and then 

 he had rushed back to stop the dogs. 



Fortunately the storm was so fierce the dogs could not 

 see the musk-oxen. As we advanced cautiously we came 

 suddenly to where the snow was trampled and several 

 tracks led off to the east. Evidently the musk-oxen had 

 moved on, but not because of us, as the dogs had uttered 

 not a whimper, and the wind was blowing strongly from 

 the northeast and we were travelling almost due east. 



Following the signs, we set off at a pretty brisk run, and 

 this time I was up with Seco and determined to keep 

 up with him until I dropped in my tracks, for I knew if 

 we reached musk-oxen at all Seco would be there first, 

 and I remembered I wanted two bulls and might not have 

 another opportunity. 



We ran for about a mile, and then suddenly saw a few 

 hundred yards ahead ten musk-oxen, standing with their 



