ELK HUNTING 
tramping right over the far range down to Lake Nesau, where the hunters 
had never been before. Here I became tired, and as we had a walk of at 
least sixteen miles before us, much of it through swampy ground, I re- 
served what strength was left to me for the journey homewards, arriving 
home absolutely dead beat at 9 p.m. Elk hunting is hard work. 
Kristian had an idea, which to one who has toiled after him for many 
weary days seems purely imaginary, that he was very delicate. After taking 
a friend of mine at express speed up a Norwegian mountain without one 
stop at five miles an hour, he sat down on the top with a pathetic sigh and 
remarked: 
“ Ah, well, alas, I am not strong.” 
September 10th. Rest at home to-day. Kristian in bed all day, thank 
goodness! I believe he tried to kill me yesterday. We certainly walked over 
forty English miles at the lowest computation. 
In the meanwhile my friend, Mr Lodge, had been collecting birds in the 
Grondals Valley, where a few interesting species were to be found. He had 
good sport amongst the dal and the fjeld ryper, which were plentiful; but 
wild birds of the forest and the mountain were difficult to obtain. Occa- 
sionally he caught a glimpse of a goshawk as he dashed through the trees, 
or a merlin or sparrowhawk hunting the birch scrub for fieldfares. Rough - 
legged buzzards, too, were fairly numerous, considering the iniquitous 
tax upon their heads, and one day, whilst hunting for capercailzie, he 
put up a specimen of the great eagle owl, which he unfortunately failed to 
kill. By far the most interesting bird, however, of these semi-arctic forests 
is the hawk-owl (Surnia funerea), a very remarkable creature showing the 
characteristics of both hawk and owl. On my first day of elk-hunting I 
came across a specimen. While scrutinizing the openings on the rugged 
hillside, as Kristian and I walked along together, I saw a raptorial bird 
sitting at the summit of a withered pine, and, moving further up to ascer- 
tain the species, I was amused to find myself face to face with a hawk -owl, 
who was scanning my movements with a curiosity quite as great as my 
own. He flung himself from his lofty perch and came sailing straight 
towards us with a silent, though not altogether unfalconlike flight. The 
trustful way in which he sailed round our heads, with his great yellow 
eyes steadfastly fixed upon us, was altogether charming; and having 
satisfied himself that we meant him no harm he flew back to his original 
perch and commenced watching the ground beneath in search of lem- 
mings and voles, which are so abundant in these forests. 
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