1916] TO KING CHRISTIAN ISLAND 



243 



the map, one mile off the southern shore of Amund 

 Ringnes Island, and unique as to its position, being 

 practically midway between the Magnetic and North 

 Poles of the earth. Theoretically, the compass varia- 

 tions here should be the extreme 180°; north should be 

 south, and east west. "As true as the needle to the 

 Pole" is but an empty phrase. Actually following such 

 an injunction, no man could be more fickle, more un- 

 trustworthy, more uncertain in his purpose in life, or 

 more devious in his wanderings. 



The meridians here are so numerous that one could 

 easily imagine our white way as being roughened with 

 ribs leading to that lone spot at the apex of the earth. 

 What explorer was it who, approaching the Pole, dis- 

 covered, to his astonishment, that his snow-shoes were 

 jammed between the meridians.? Discouraging, after 

 traveling so far and with the goal in sight ! 



Uppermost in one's mind in the North is the all-im- 

 portant question, "Have we enough to eat.?" I had 

 depended upon these vast snow-covered trails for rich 

 red meat, strength and energy to my dogs, and success 

 to my plans. Apparently it was a dead world, a world 

 at rest beneath its mantle of snow and ice, all animal 

 and vegetable life swept away; so, at least, it seemed to 

 be from our camp of April 15th, as I awaited the reports 

 of my three Eskimo boys who had gone back into the 

 hills. All returned empty-handed late in the afternoon, 

 but they reported traces of caribou, ptarmigan, and 

 hare — somewhat encouraging. 



At nine-thirty the excited yelps of our dogs notified 

 us of the arrival of visitors, two large white wolves. 

 The dogs were frantic in their demonstrations for a more 

 intimate acquaintance. E-took-a-shoo's team, the most 



