MAMM.VLS OF NORTHEEN CANADA 171 



ers in our party of twenty followed as closely as they could. 

 As soon as the dogs were perceived, the sentinel gave the 

 alarm and the musk oxen immediately set off in different 

 directions, apparently very much startled, but when the dogs 

 began to bark the musk oxen rallied instantly, came together, 

 and presented a rather formidable front to their assailants. 

 This military-square-like formation on the part of the musk 

 oxen seemed to have a rather terrifying effect on our dogs, 

 as they almost ceased to bark, though now within a few yards 

 of the herd. In the meantime we were all rapidly nearing 

 the herd, and I was in hopes that with our dogs we might 

 be able to surround or run down and capture one or more 

 of the several spring calves observed. When they became 

 aware of our near presence — the close proximity of the dogs 

 (who resumed their barking) having taken up their atten- 

 tion — ^by the premature firing of a shot which fatally 

 wounded one of the larger animals, they all scampered away 

 at such a sweeping canter that we soon gave up the chase 

 as hopeless, although our dogs continued to follow them for 

 some time, but later returned to partake of the spoil of the 

 killed animal. After skinning the three-year-old male, we 

 noticed a moving object at some distance, which we supposed 

 to be one of the dogs, but it turned out to be a spring calf 

 which had evidently swerved from the main body and was 

 doubtless searching for its mother. Several of the party 

 thereupon started out with the dogs in full pursuit; and we 

 all had to show our best paces for several hundred yards 

 before we could reach the spot where he was brought to bay. 

 We at once secured him by means of a looped line, but not 

 before he was wounded by the dogs. We had much trouble 

 in getting the calf to accompany us — in fact, we first let him 

 rather exhaust himself in bucking and kicking like a goat, 

 while he stubbornly refused to be led by a line. After a 

 time, when prodded from behind, he would make a rush at 

 his leader, but he eventually quieted down and followed the 

 Indian to the camp. IsText day he seemed rather subdued 



