NORTH POLE OF THE WINDS 



Sick at heart we now started back to camp. We 

 had had httle sleep for two days, and depressed 

 over the outcome we took up our packs and toiled 

 over the eight miles of rough trail to Mount Evans. 

 As we reflected upon the probable position of 

 the flyers we came to the conclusion that they had 

 most likely been forced down somewhere in the 

 Sukkertoppen hinterland, a vast, rugged, unex- 

 plored wilderness of incised plateau, lakes and river 

 which lies to the southward of us across the great 

 fjord. When the first message of the flight had 

 reached our station on the fourteenth, I had been 

 exploring in this region with Potter and Marius, 

 so I was somewhat familiar with the conditions 

 which they would encounter if they were still alive 

 and trying to make their way out. They were, I 

 knew, provided with the only map of the general 

 outline of the region, and they were supposed to 

 have warm clothing, a rifle and some provisions. 

 We had found many ducks and geese, though these 

 birds were now about to leave for the south. There 

 were also arctic hares and an abundance of ptarmi- 

 gan. Back from the fjord were caribou, though 

 these were very shy. There was fresh water to be 

 had almost everywhere and blueberries were 

 abundant. The prospect was by no means a hope- 

 less one. 



260 



