188 SHORT STALKS 



record, I will confine the remainder of it to showing how 

 this may be done. 



The first incident of the year was that one of my 

 party stalked and shot a reindeer, as we were luird up for 

 meat. The two Norwegians who were with us were much 

 shocked at this high-handed proceeding, and sat aloof on 

 the top of the hill, as if we had shot Farmer Giles's cow, 

 while we proceeded with the graJlock. I sent a message 

 to the Lapps, to whom the animal presumably belonged, 

 and paid them about half as much again as it was worth. 



On the opening day of the season I was fortunate 

 enouo;h to kill a bull elk, and the followino- mornino- called 

 upon an English gentleman who was fishing a neighbouring- 

 river, to leave him a portion of the meat. He asked me 

 to join him in driving a certain large wooded island of 

 which he had the shootino- in the middle of the lake of 



O 



o 



Ann. I declined his invitation, as I had undertaken to 

 cross the lake, a row of about nine miles, and ascertain if 

 there was anv o;ood o-rouse o-round on the fartlier side. 

 Returning in the evening, the course took my boat quite 

 close to the island. As we approached a long tongue of it, 

 which projected towards the mainland, I saw an elk splash 

 through the shallow water towards this promontory. 

 Thinking it was only a cow, I took no steps, but lay to 

 to see it take the water, as its evident intention was to cross 

 to the mainland, and drawing up near the point, we 

 waited. In a few seconds there plunged into the lake, not 

 a cow, but an old bull, with a very fine head. Now, hav- 

 ing refused my friend's invitation, I liesitated for a moment 

 or two what I ought to do, but my scruples did not last 

 long, and I told the boatman to l)end to his oars. Tumji, 



