NORTH POLE OF THE WINDS 



Oscanyan's throwing up his position as radio 

 operator the station had been left without connec- 

 tion with the outside world since the spring of the 

 year. 



As a turn in the trail to the station brought me 

 in sight of the hut I could make out smoke com- 

 ing from the pipe chimney and I raised a loud 

 "hello". It seemed hardly a second before Carlson 

 and the Eskimo boy, both on all fours, came shoot- 

 ing through the low door. Carlson's joy at know- 

 ing that his friends and supplies were already in 

 camp could be better imagined than described. 

 It is no light matter to be left without contact 

 for so long a time, and with the best of intentions, 

 but against Carlson's own wishes, the Governor at 

 Holstensborg had insisted Carlson should not be 

 quite alone and had sent him a small Eskimo boy 

 to be his companion. The boy was lazy and had a 

 consumptive cough which in the cramped quarters 

 of the little hut was the occasion of a good deal 

 of concern to Carlson. As the boy had to be fed, 

 the supplies had run low and for some time Carl- 

 son had been piecing out his provisions with 

 ptarmigan, which had required some time to secure. 



However, "all's well that ends well", and it was 

 apparent that Carlson had managed admirably 

 and had accomplished good results in the scientific 



216 



