62 THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS 



mountains so frequently mentioned. We afterwards 

 learned how deceptive the light can be. I consulted 

 the aneroid immediately on our arrival at the camping- 

 ground, and it showed 10,920 feet above the sea, which 

 the hypsometer afterwards confirmed. All the sledge- 

 meters gave seventeen geographical miles, or thirty-one 

 kilometres (nineteen and a quarter statute miles) . This 

 day's work — nineteen and a quarter miles, with an ascent 

 of 5,750 feet — gives us some idea of what can be 

 performed by dogs in good training. Our sledges still 

 had what might be considered heavy loads; it seems 

 superfluous to give the animals any other testimonial 

 than the bare fact. 



It was difficult to find a place for the tent, so hard 

 was the snow up here. We found one, however, and 

 set the tent. Sleeping-bags and kit-bags were handed 

 in to me, as usual, through the tent-door, and I arranged 

 everything inside. The cooking-case and the necessary 

 provisions for that evening and the next morning 

 were also passed in; but the part of my work that 

 went more quickly than usual that night was getting 

 the Primus started, and pumping it up to high- 

 pressure. I was hoping thereby to produce enough 

 noise to deaden the shots that I knew would soon 

 be heard — twenty-four of our brave companions and 

 faithful helpers were marked out for death. It was 

 liard — but it had to be so. We had agreed to shrink 

 from nothing in order to reach our goal. Each man 



