170 HUNTING CAMPS. 



All I could define to shoot at was the head and neck, 

 and, not wishing to smash the skull, I chose the neck. 

 At the shot the elk bounded to his feet and was lost 

 to view. I heard a tremendous crashing in the forest 

 and caught sight of the cow and the half-grown calves 

 swinging along in full flight. 



A moment's pause and then the bull blundered from 

 shadow to shadow. He was struck in the neck, and 

 not knowing where the shot came from he ran towards 

 me, when a second bullet sent him rolling down the 

 hillside. He was quite dead before even Peder could 

 reach him. After eighteen blank days, to secure two 

 bull elk in seven hours ! And what a beauty this last 

 head was ! The elk stood 5 feet 10^ to 11 inches 

 at the shoulder, and the horns showed thirteen points, 

 with a broad and handsome palmation. As we stood 

 above him both Peder and I agreed that the blank days 

 were at last atoned for. But the first elk had cost us 

 hours of unremitting pursuit, and we were wearily tired. 

 I have wondered since how we should have managed 

 that twelve long miles which lay between us and home 

 if, having at length met with the " vera bool," I had 

 failed in my shot and lost him. 



On the following day Peder and I drove over to 

 Gartland betimes, for since the luck appeared to have 

 changed in our favour we were determined to force it. 

 In fact so early did we arrive that it was not yet light 

 when we turned our cariole into the yard of the farm, 

 and even the early-rising Norsk farmer was not astir. 

 Soon, however, we had unharnessed the horse and, 

 having seen to his comforts, were making the best of 

 our way into the woods. Gartland was, as I have already 

 mentioned, the most closely-wooded portion of all my 



