Of the Hart or Deer

This is not very unlike unto the hart; it hath cloven feet like it, and its horns are also like unto a hart or elke; they have three or four branches on each side, which are about two inches broad and about a foot long; their ears are long, and tail very short: he is of a greyish yellow colour, like an hart or deer. When they see a man they run away; if you stand still they stand also, then you must immediately fire at them if you have a mind to hit them. They eat the herbs and grass. They are every where about Spitzbergen, but above all in the Rene-field (or Deers-field), that hath its name from thence, where they'r very plentiful, and also upon the Foreland near the Muscle Haven. I never saw them swim in the water. As I was informed, some men did kill fifteen or twenty of them on the Vogel-song (Birds-song), the meat thereof roasted is of a very pleasant taste. We killed some of them presently, at our first arrival in the spring, that were very lean; wherefore we may conclude, that they remain in this barren and cold country of Spitzbergen all winter long, and are contented with what they can get.