GREENLAND BY THE POLAR SEA 



appeared to them most unworthy ; but then the devil took 

 possession of them ! 



The biggest of the bulls, apparently the leader, suddenly 

 stamped his hind hoofs so hard into the soil that a rain of gravel 

 and stones fell over us ; then he let out a bellow, turned right 

 about and galloped across the plain with the remainder of the 

 herd behind him. 



We unleashed the dogs immediately, and they tore after the 

 oxen ; but the whole proceeding had taken place with such 

 lightning swiftness that the bulls had got a good start, and it 

 took the dogs some time to draw close to them. We ran with 

 all speed, so as to be near and ready to shoot when at length the 

 drive would stop on the top of a hill where they could defend 

 themselves against the attack of the dogs. 



But things did not work out according to plan. The bulls 

 ran for dear life, and they made such a pace that it almost 

 looked as if they were blown along by a hurricane. Right out 

 by the end of the plain the foremost of my dogs succeeded in 

 overtaking the herd. We saw it attempt to bite itself fast on 

 to the hind leg of the rear fighter ; but instead of stopping at 

 once, collecting its comrades in a square and receiving the 

 attack, the bull, with the dog yet hanging with teeth buried in 

 its flesh, was content to turn round with lightning quickness, 

 shake the dog off, scoop it with its horns on to its enormous 

 neck, and fling it up in the air like a ball. The poor dog whirled 

 round and crashed heavilv to earth ; its courage cost it its 

 life. 



In the meantime the hunt raged on. The other dog, which 

 was an old and experienced bear-dog, had come up with the 

 fleeing herd and succeeded in stopping the hindmost ox outside 

 a steep high cleft. Ajako, who was ahead of us all, rushed up 

 ready to shoot, but in the moment he raised his gun, the bull 

 threw itself down over him like a landslide, paying no attention 

 to the scolding dog, which in vain tried to hold it back. They 

 disappeared together into the cleft, and I only saw the cloud of 

 sand and gravel which whirled up round them. I rushed up as 

 quickly as I could, and to my great joy I soon heard a shot, then 

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