170 FARTHEST NORTH 



a big buck in front. They were heading straight for 

 Sverdrup, who was now crouching down on the slope. 

 I expected every moment to see the foremost fall. A 

 shot rano- out ! Round wheeled the whole flock like 

 lightning, and back they came at a gallop. It was my 

 turn now to run with all my might, and off I went over 

 the stones, down towards the valley we had come from. 

 I only stopped once or twice to take breath, and to make 

 sure that the animals were coming in the direction I had 

 reckoned on — then off again. We were getting near 

 each other now; they were coming on just where I had 

 calculated ; the thing now was to be in time for them. 

 I made my long legs go their fastest over the boulders, 

 and took leaps from stone to stone that would have 

 surprised myself at a more sober moment. More than 

 once my foot slipped, and I went down head first among 

 the boulders, gun and all. But the wild beast in me had 

 the upper hand now. The passion of the chase vibrated 

 through every fibre of my body. 



We reached the slant of the valley almost at the same 

 time — a leap or two to get up on some big boulders, and 

 the moment had come — I imist shoot, though the shot 

 was a long one. When the smoke cleared away I saw 

 the big buck trailing a broken hind -leg. When their 

 leader stopped, the whole flock turned and ran in a ring 

 round the poor animal. They could not understand 

 what was happening, and strayed about wildly with the 

 balls whistling round them. Then off they went down 



