THE GUN AT HOME AND ABROAD 
dulled our spirits — Bismark’s, too, for he showed no signs of elation — and 
the sun was setting as we approached the final ridge beyond which I 
intended to move homewards. Suddenly Kristian dropped to the earth 
saying, “Look at the big fellows ! ” There they were — a big bull with a very 
moderate head, and a huge cow as big as himself. They were standing looking 
in our direction 350 yards away but apparently had not quite made us out. 
As they looked aside for a second I made haste to move forward out of 
sight to a position from which I could shoot if necessary; but, glancing 
at them from my covert, I saw to my disgust the two elk trotting away at 
top speed. Seeing, then, no other chance but a long and difficult running 
shot, I sat down and came into action, Kristian the while resting his back 
against mine as a support. The first shot hit the bull on the horn, making 
a noise like the loud crack of a wagon whip. Both elk now turned round 
and began to run about in the extraordinary way I have previously de- 
scribed, so I waited a moment on the off-chance of the bull either standing 
or going slowly in a favourable direction, as he probably would have 
done had the ground been a little more open. But as it was the animals 
took another tack, moving towards a rise over which was thick birch 
scrub, so I had to fire again at once. This time a miss — the shot was too 
low — and away went the two elk, running almost side by side, the bull a 
little in front. A poor chance for me, but my last; and I took it. At this 
moment, most unfortunately, the cow suddenly lunged forward and so 
nearly covered the body of the bull that it was impossible to say which of 
them was hit. There was a loud whack on the ribs of one or other of 
the animals as both disappeared over the brow. All sense of fatigue 
vanished, and we raced hard to the ridge to see, as we hoped, the bull in 
extremis on the other side. “ I am sure you have him! There he is! ” 
shouted Kristian as, while panting along, we caught sight of four great 
legs sprawling in the air, down in the scrub. 
A little caution, however, was needed in approaching the wounded 
beast lest he should jump up again and make off; so I made for a neigh- 
bouring slope, where, from the top of a tree, I could see anything that 
moved, whilst Kristian went through the bushes with the dog, in case the 
elk should run. Presently he gave a low whistle, on which I came down 
and found him sharpening his knife over the carcass of — the cow! 
“ Was there ever such bad luck! ” he said. “ She must have run exactly 
in front of him at the last moment.” 
The day, however, even with its mishaps, had been an eventful one, 
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