Morning journal and courier., 1883-09-04
Lieutenant Schwatka as a Musk-O1
 unu

Hunter.
 The leader of the overland Arctic expedi- tion of 1879 describes, in the September Century, "A Musk OK Hunt' with the aid of numerous Illustrations. He says of their first chase after the game: ''Great fears were entertained by the experienced hunters that the musk-oxen had heard our approach, and were now probably doing their level
 best to escape. The sledges were immedi- ately stopped and the dogs rapidly unhitched from them, from one to three or four being given to each of the eleven men and boys,
 white or native, that were present, who, taking their harnesses in their left hands or
 tying them in slip-nooses around their waists,
 started without delay upon the trail, leaving
 the two sledges and a few of the poorer dogs in charge of the Innuit women, who had
 come along for that purpose, and who would follow on the trail with the empty sledges as seon as firing was heard. The dogs, many of them old musk-ox hunters, and with ap- petites doubly sharpened by hard work and 8 constantly diminishing ration, tugged like mad at their sealskin harness lines, as they half buried their eager noses in the tumbled snow of the trail. and hurried their attached human being along at flying rate that threatened broken limb or neck at each of the rough gorges and jutting precipices of the broken, stony hill land where the exci- ting chase was going on. The rapidity with which an agile native hunter can run when thus attached to two or three excited dogs is astonishing. Whenever 8 steep valley was encountered the Eskimos would slide down on their feet, in sitting posture, throwing the loose snow to their sides like escaping steam from a missing locomotive, until the bottom was reached, when, quick as thought
 they would through themselves at full length upon the snow, and the wild, excited brutes would drag them up the other side, where, regaining their feet, they would run on at a no%o Ivy eroit fhoir 1a meantime being held in the right hand or tightly lashed upon the back.
 'tWe had hardly gone mile In this harum- scarum chase before it became evident that the musk-oxen were but short distance ahead on the keen run, and the foremost hunters began loosening their dogs to bring the oxen to bay as soon as possible; and then, for the first time, these intelligent crea- lures gave tongue in deep, long paying, as they shot forward like arrows and disap. peared over the crests of the hills amidst perfect bewilderment of flying snow and huttering harness traces. The discord Of shouts and howlings told us plainly that some of the animals had been brought to bay not far distant, and we soon heard rapid series of sharp, reports from the breecn- loaders and magazine guns of the advanced hunters. We white men arrived just In time . to see the final struggle. The oxen present, ed a most formidable looking appearance,
 with their rumps9 firmly wedged together, complete circle of swaying horns presented to the front, with great blood-shot eyeballs selarine like red-hot shot amidst the escaping steam from their pantinR nostrils, and paw ing and plunging at the circle of furious dogs that encompassed them. The rapid blazing of magazine guns right in their faces-so scloss often, as to burn their long, shaggy hait-added to the strihing scene Woe to the over zealous dog that was unlucky enough to get his harness line under the hoofs of charging and infuriated musk-ox; for they will follow up leash along the ground with . rapidity and certainty that would do credit tosa tight rope performer, and either paw the poor creature to death or fling him high in the air with their horns"