d of the
blows.

The wolves had become very fierce in their attacks. I wanted to pursue
them on my skees, but unfortunately I was not skilful enough to do so.
The reindeer were fleeing, pursued by the wolves which were in their
midst. It was a fight for life. I saw four wolves attacking a bull while
he was charging one of them and had almost pierced him with his antlers.
The three other wolves sprang upon him, their big teeth in his flesh. He
ran with them for a while, then the noble animal fell.

Another wolf came near me and succeeded in bringing down a young
reindeer that was running away with all his might. I sent a lot of
buckshot through him and killed him on the spot, but I was too late to
save the life of the poor reindeer; and in an instant the dying wolf was
attacked by his voracious comrades, which precipitated themselves upon
him and tore him to pieces and devoured him. I looked at this scene with
so much astonishment that I forgot to fire another shot at the wolves.

Several wolves were killed, and at last all were put to flight. Our
victory was complete. I recognized the Chief of the Pack among the
slain. What a big fellow he was! What ugly-looking teeth he had! The
wolves after this attack were completely disorganized, and fled in
different directions.

In the mean time my Lapp, true to his word, had rejoined me. He said:
"These wolves understand each other, and have agreed among themselves to
meet somewhere in the great forest east of us. They will visit us again
in small packs, so we must be on the watch constantly." Then with a sigh
he said: "Now we are going to have a hard time to bring the reindeer of
each owner together."

The day after the slaying of the wolves, I bade good-bye to the Lapps
and once more started to wander over the great snowy waste of "The Land
of the Long Night."

[Illustration: "It was a fight for life!"]

CHAPTER XVIII

GREAT SKILL OF THE LAPPS WITH THEIR SKEES.--LEAPING OVER WIDE GULLIES
AND RIVERS.--PRODIGIOUS LENGTH OF THEIR LEAPS.--ACCURACY OF THEIR
COASTING.--I START THEM BY WAVING THE AMERICAN FLAG.

I was once more travelling westward, and two days afterward fell in with
another company of nomadic Lapps. We became, as usual, good friends.

One day they said to me: "Paulus, the snow is in a very fine condition
for skeeing, and we are going to have some fun among ourselves, and run
down steep hills on our skees and try our skill in making leap