270 ON SNOW-SHOES TO THE BARREN GROUNDS 



side, so as to have the better chance of getting whatever 

 game lay in our course. 



Beniah's brigade, to which I was attached, was to the 

 westward, and as the musk-oxen had been discovered to 

 the eastward, the other brigade had considerable advan- 

 tage in starting. Thus it was that we approached in sev- 

 eral different parties, and from as many different directions, 

 with the result that the musk-oxen broke into four small 

 herds, of which I could catch occasional glimpses as I 

 raced over the tops of the ridges. 



This particular part of the country was more broken up 

 into ridges, I think, than any that I saw. 



After a hard run I came up with two of the Indians 

 and three musk-oxen, the last one of which dropped as I 

 got within camera range. Of course I was anxious to get 

 a photograph of the musk-ox alive, and so I went on after 

 one of the other herds. But again I was unfortunate, for 

 as I got on top of one of the little ridges I again heard 

 firing, and saw another Indian put the last touch to two 

 other musk-oxen. I thought this pretty hard luck, but I 

 kept on in the direction of other firing, and in a quarter of 

 a mile came to a small herd surrounded by a number of 

 the dogs and several of the Indians. They were firing as 

 I appeared on the ridge, and half of the musk-oxen were 

 already dead. I yelled, but the Indians paid no attention 

 to me, and I increased my efforts to get within camera 

 range before the killing was ended. I reached the scene 

 of action while there were yet three cows and a couple of 

 calves standing, and " pressed the button." Before I could 

 turn a fresh film into my camera the cows were down ; but 

 I secured two more plates of the calves while they were 

 standing at bay before the dogs, and subsequently two 

 plates of the general scene. There was no sun shining, 

 and, as I have said, the day was foggy, so that, unfortu- 



