HUNTING THE MUSK-OX 



One old bull (most of the band were males) refused to fall 

 until he had received six mortal wounds, three of which I 

 foujid from my own subsequent examination passed throiigh 

 his heart, leaving it completely shattered. Others, which had 

 run for some distance, were pursued until the eight huge 

 forms were stretched upon the ground, only the one having 

 escaped. 



Whilst the Indians were busily engaged in skinning the 

 oxen, I, with my companion, returned to the camp, and 

 though the hour was now midnight, ordered an immediate 

 move to the scene of the slaughter, so that all might engage 

 in the work of skinning, cutting and curing as much as pos- 

 sible of the meat. At first our slumbering friends were very 

 loath to bestir themselves, or to believe our story of the hunt, 

 but at length they were persuaded that it was no joke we were 

 playing, and camp was removed to the base of Musk-ox Hill. 



Whilst several of the party were busying themselves with 

 the arrangements of our new camp, they were suddenly 

 startled by the hoarse bellow of a musk-ox almost at their ears. 

 The young bull which we had allowed to escape had returned 

 in search of his comrades, and had given forceful vent to his 

 feelings just at the moment when he was turning a sharp 

 angle of the bluff within a few feet of a tent occupied by two 

 of my companions. Not having been in the tent I can only 

 imagine the expressions depicted upon their faces, but the 

 musk-ox, finding himself in such unexpected company, gal- 

 loped past the camp and out onto a long, narrow, bare point 

 extending into the lake. Seeing now an opportunity for sport, 

 and preferring it to further slaughter, Mr. F. and I armed 

 ourselves with cameras, and calling out all hands, we arranged 

 ourselves in a line across the base of the point and proceeded 

 to advance upon the enemy, thinking that he would likely 

 take to the water, and that we might there effect his capture 

 by means of a lasso. We were not long left in doubt as to 

 the outcome of the project, nor were we permitted to push 



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