222 A SPRING AND SUMMER IN LAPLAND. 



which seems to be at all observed. Considering 

 their wild nature, and the immense developments 

 of their organs of hearing and scent, I was much 

 surprised to see how leisurely and unconsciously 

 in every instance they approached the guns ; and 

 on this very account I did not, I must confess, see 

 any very great pleasure in hunting them as we 

 did. No doubt the chase of the elk, single- 

 handed by one man and a dog, which follow on 

 the spor perhaps for days, till the elk is brought 

 to bay, is fraught with much more adventure and 

 vicissitudes, and when pursued on skidder or snow 

 skates, probably possesses much excitement to 

 a keen hand. But there is something tame, 

 butcherly, and cowardly in killing them after our 

 fashion ; and when the animal is driven up to be 

 shot in this cool-blooded manner, I look upon it 

 as slaughter, not sport, and care little whether the 

 object to be killed is an elk, a kangaroo, an ox, or 

 a sheep. 



A curious circumstance happened here early in 

 September. A small steamer was passing over a 

 lake on its way to the Wenern, when the mate who 

 was on the look-out observed at day-break an elk 

 swimming across the lake. The steamer gave 

 chase, soon came up with the elk, a line was cast 

 over its horns, and it was drawn alongside. 

 There unfortunately happened to be a Justice 



