164 HUNTING CAMPS. 



pine trees, but the cow had run in a circle and now 

 reappeared ; she looked at us for a moment and then 

 also decamped up the hill, where in the shadow of the 

 trees I obtained another shot at the bull as he melted 

 away into the dusk of the forest. This shot was fired 

 at a great distance, and I had no reason to think it took 

 effect. On coming up to his tracks, however, we found 

 signs that he had been badly struck, and after following 

 the trail for some little time I directed Peder to sit 

 down for a rest and light his pipe. He was very 

 jubilant and very sure we should get the bull. 



In the course of half an hour we started again, took 

 up the track, and, save for one check by a small river, 

 through which the elk had waded, made good pro- 

 gress, though it was sometimes necessary to move with 

 extreme caution, for the signs all the time showed us 

 to be quite close to the wounded animal. 



The elk led us in a complete circle, and for a long 

 distance, so that when dusk was falling we had returned 

 to the hillside upon which the first shot was fired, and 

 at the foot of which lay a lake of some size. Into this 

 the elk had waded ; we could see his huge footmarks 

 showing through the still, clear water upon which the 

 evening glow still shone. 



The elk had waded out deep into the lake and then 

 begun to swim, so we lost no time in making our way 

 to the nearest point on the opposite shore where he 

 would be likely to land, and commenced to search for 

 his trail. But, although we searched long, we came 

 upon no indication of his having come ashore. Even 

 with Bismarck's help we failed to discover any trace of 

 him, and long after dark we returned, worn out and 

 bitterly disappointed, to the saeter. 



