ON THE WAY SOUTH 213 



driver with the standard compass endless trouble. It is 

 strange how this affects the mind. Although the man 

 with the compass knows quite well that the man in 

 front cannot do any better, and although he knows that 

 he could not do better himself, he nevertheless gets 

 irritated in time and works himself into the belief that 

 the unsuspecting, perfectly innocent leader only takes 

 these turns to annoy him; and so, as I have said, the 

 words, "A little to the left " imply the unspoken addition 

 -perfectly understood on both sides ' Duffer!" I have 

 personal experience of both duties. With the dog- 

 driver time passes far more quickly. He has his dogs 

 to look after, and has to see that all are working and 

 none shirking. Many other points about a team claim 

 his attention, and he must always keep an eye on the 

 sledge itself. If he does not do this, some slight uneven- 

 ness may throw the runners in the air before he knows 

 where he is. And to right a capsized sledge, weighing 

 about eight hundredweight, is no fun. So, instead of 

 running this risk, he gives his whole attention to what 

 is before him. 



From the starting-place theBarrier rises very slightly, 

 until at a cross-ridge it passes into the perfect level. 

 Here on the ridge we halt once more. Our comrades 

 have disappeared and gone to their work, but in the 

 distance the Fram lies, framed in shining, blue-white 

 ice. We are but human; uncertainty always limits our 

 prospect. Shall we meet again? And if so, under 



