12 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



scanty meal. On proceeding our men were 

 somewhat cheered, by observing on the 

 sandy summit of a hill, from whence the 

 snow had been blown, the summer track of 

 a man ; and afterwards by seeing several 

 deer tracks on the snow. About noon the 

 weather cleared up a little, and to our great 

 joy, we saw a herd of musk-oxen grazing 

 in a valley below us. The party instantly 

 halted, and the best hunters were sent out ; 

 they approached the animals with the ut- 

 most caution, no less than two hours being 

 consumed before they got within gun-shot. 

 In the meantime we beheld their proceed- 

 ings with extreme anxiety, and many secret 

 prayers were doubtless offered up for their 

 success. At length they opened their fire, 

 and we had the satisfaction of seeing one of 

 the largest cows fall ; another was wounded, 

 but escaped. This success infused spirit 

 into our starving party. To skin and cut 

 up the animal was the work of a few minutes. 

 The contents of its stomach were devoured 

 upon the spot, and the raw intestines, which 

 were next attacked, were pronounced by 



