VOYAGE THROUGH THE KARA SEA 165 



before. It was impossible to get nearer, for there was 

 only a smooth slope between us. There was no sense 

 in thinking of waiting for light to shoot by. It was now 

 midnight, and I had that terrible mate to the north of 

 me ; besides, the wind was not to be trusted. I held the 

 rifle up against the sky to see the bead clearly, and then 

 lowered it on the reindeer. I did this once, twice, thrice. 

 The bead was still far from clear; but, all the same, I 

 thought I might hit, and pulled the trigger. The two 

 deer gave a sudden start, looked round in astonishment, 

 and bolted off a little way south. There they stood still 

 again, and at this moment were joined by a third deer, 

 which had been standing rather farther north. I fired 

 off all the cartridges in the magazine, and all to the same 

 good purpose. The creatures started and moved off a 

 little at each shot, and then trotted farther south. Pres- 

 ently they made another halt, to take a long careful look 

 at me ; and I dashed off westward, as hard as I could 

 run, to turn them. Now they were off straight in the 

 direction where some of my comrades ought to be. I 

 expected every moment to hear shots and see one or two 

 of the animals fall ; but away they ambled southward, 

 quite unchecked. At last, far to the south, crack went 

 a rifle. I could see by the smoke that it was at too long 

 a range ; so in high dudgeon I shouldered my rifle and 

 lounged in the direction of the shot. It was pleasant to 

 see such a good result for all one's trouble. 



No one was to be seen anywhere. At length I met 



