HUNTS AND EXPLORATIONS 5 I 



absence. At last, just as we were talking of returning, we 

 saw Astrup in the distance, and called to him to join us. When 

 he came up to us he said he had had no luck. He had a few 

 cartridges left in his rifle, which he expended on our victim 

 without, however, harming her in the least. Astrup then 

 urged us to return, as he, too, was tired out; but we were 

 loath to leave our wounded deer, especially as we now knew 

 it was only a matter of time when we should get her, for she 

 could not hold out much longer. Nearer and nearer she came 

 to the ice, finally leaning against the edge as if to gather 

 strength, when suddenly the doctor darted over the ice-foot 

 into the icy water, and before the startled animal realized his 

 intention, he had her by her short horns, which were still in 

 the velvet, and was pulling her slowly ashore. The little one 

 then left its mother for the first time, ran as fast as it could 

 over the rocks, and disappeared behind the cliffs. 



The doctor had some trouble in pulling the wounded animal 

 out on the ice, which kept constantly breaking. All this time 

 he was standing knee-deep in the ice-cold water, and before 

 long he had to call to us to relieve him, his feet and legs being 

 so numb that he could stand it no longer. As Astrup had on 

 low shoes, he did not feel like wading out to the doctor, who 

 was rubbing and pounding his feet, so I went to his relief 

 My oil- tan boots kept the water out for some time. Although 

 I could not drag the poor creature out on the ice, still I had 

 no difficulty in holding her, as she made no resistance what- 

 ever. After the doctor had somewhat restored his circulation, 



