THE RETURN FROM THE POLAR SEA 



"V/TY dreams of the last four years were merely 

 -*--■• dreams; my hopes had ended in bitter disap- 

 pointment. 



If we were fortunate enough now to be favored with 

 good weather, we could double-march back on our 

 trail, sleep in the same igloos, and make the land in four 

 marches. We turned anxious eyes toward the horizon 

 before going in for the night. Blowing from the south- 

 west and drifting was the report in the morning. Then 

 oiu* day would be a hard one. Could the Eskimos pos- 

 sibly pick up the trail .^^ As we dashed out of camp and 

 headed for home, now and then I caught a glimpse of 

 the faint traces of the outward-bound sledge tracks. Ar- 

 riving on the banks of the first lead, I inquired of E-took- 

 a-shoo, who had been leading, if he had kept to the 

 trail. To my astonishment, he replied that he had lost 

 it a few minutes out from camp, at least three miles in 

 the rear. In their characteristic, happy-go-lucky way, 

 they had headed across country. Would they have done 

 so had they been alone or had we been without a com- 

 pass, for which they have great respect .^^ I tried to 

 conceal my irritation at this unfortunate occurrence 

 at the very start of our retreat. The trail must be found 



