IN THE GULA VALLEY 141 



Such are the fortunes of forest hunting. The bull 

 elk did not always play the game as we understood 

 and planned it. 



The last day of his stay H. H. went for a long 

 hunt, in company with Ivor and the invaluable dog 

 Rover, from Aasen, right down to Johan Bergan's 

 house at Langlete, through some of our best elk- 

 ground, without getting opportunity for a shot. Two 

 fair bulls were at different times followed, and caught 

 a glimpse of ; and one would almost certainly have 

 been approached, and probably shot, but for the 

 untimely interference of a domestic cow from a 

 neighbouring sseter. Next day A. H. arrived from 

 England, and H. H. and his wife were obliged to 

 leave for home engagements. Before doing so, 

 however, H. H. killed two good salmon in the 

 pool below Johan's house, one of which weighed 

 20 pounds. 



During the next fortnight or so A. H. and I 

 secured two good bulls, and might have shot one or 

 two smaller beasts had we so desired. 



We enjoyed, moreover, the most perfect autumn 

 weather I have ever known in Norway. Day after 

 day for nearly three weeks we were favoured with 

 blue skies and brilliant sunshine, under which the 

 varied colours of heather-covered fjeld, yellow marsh, 

 birch- wood and dark-green pine, were lit up in all 

 their northern beauty, and appeared in quite a 

 different guise to what they may assume when 

 Norway weather breaks and the sky is dark and 

 gloomy. Under the former conditions it is a joy to 

 be alive in that bracing latitude ; and if, perchance, a 

 successful chase and kill be added to the pleasures 

 of landscape and of climate, then indeed, if only for 



