CHAPTER XXXV 



THE MUSK-OX 



In the afternoon, Preble, Billy, and I went northward 

 on foot to look for Musk-ox. A couple of miles from 

 camp I left the others and went more westerly. 



After wandering on for an hour, disturbing Long- 

 spurs, Snowbirds, Pipits, Groundsquirrel, and Cari- 

 bou, I came on a creature that gave me new thrills of 

 pleasure. It was only a Polar Hare, the second we had 

 seen; but its very scarceness here, at least this year, 

 gave it unusual interest, and the Hare itself helped the 

 feeling by letting me get near it to study, sketch, and 

 photograph. 



It was exactly like a Prairie Hare in all its manners, 

 even to the method of holding its tail in running, and 

 this is one of the most marked and distinctive peculiar- 

 ities of the different kinds. 



On the 16th of August we left Lockhart's River, 

 knowing now that the north arm of the lake was our 

 way. We passed a narrow bay out of which there 

 seemed to be a current, then, on the next high land, 

 noted a large brown spot that moved rather quickly 

 along. It was undoubtedly some animal with short 

 legs, whether a Wolverine a mile away, or a Musk-ox 

 two miles away, was doubtful. Now did that canoe 

 put on its six-mile gait, and we soon knew for certain 



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