38 FOUR YEARS IN THE WHITE NORTH [Dec. 



over stretches of water or out over the drift ice of the 

 Polar Sea must cease by June 1st to insure the safety 

 of the men. The sea ice at this time is rapidly disin- 

 tegrating under the warm rays of the spring sun and 

 drifting away toward the south in sheets, leaving large 

 lanes of water, barriers to dog and sledge. The longer 

 the route under such conditions, the earlier should be 

 the start, in order that the party may reach home in 

 good season. 



On the return from our projected 1,400-mile trip, 

 the dangerous waters of Smith Sound lay across our 

 course, directly in sight of home. In certain years this 

 stretch of water, under the stress of strong southerly 

 gales, has broken up early and rapidly, and so much was 

 to be done at Etah during the summer months that I 

 could take no chances whatever of not getting back to 

 Borup Lodge. 



December 6th saw the beginning of my plan. Be- 

 neath the glow of a big electric light over our door our 

 five sledges were being packed for the north, and four 

 Eskimo sledges for the south. The dogs were yelping 

 and tugging at their traces, impatient to be off; the 

 Eskimos were shouting, the whips were snapping. At 

 last work had begun! Oh, the joy of the whole thing! 

 I envied Ekblaw and Green their initiatory ride as they 

 snuggled up behind their drivers, ready to start with 

 supplies for the first depot. 



At ten in the evening of the 8th they were back, re- 

 porting excellent going, the depot established, the 

 Sound apparently frozen, and a temperature at the 

 cache of thirty-nine below zero — all of which seemed too 

 good to be true. The bitter disappointment consequent 

 upon the failure of our ship to land us at the head of 



