120 THENORTHPOLE 



But all hands were stimulated by the thought 

 that we were now only a few miles from Cape Sheri- 

 dan — so near our goal that we were restless to be 

 off again. That evening, with the ebb tide, the ice 

 slackened, and the order was given to steam ahead. 

 After one or two narrow escapes between the rapidly 

 running floes, we reached the delta of Black Cape 

 River, a few miles beyond our former place. But when 

 the tide turned we were obliged to hurry back about 

 a quarter of a mile to the shelter of a grounded berg. 



When the hawsers were made fast I went ashore 

 and up to the delta to look at the ice beyond. Not a 

 crack or hole was visible to the north, and the path 

 by which we had retreated to our present position 

 was now a sea of solid ice. Should we ever be able 

 to make the few remaining miles? 



The wind continued to blow violently from the 

 south, the ice began to slack off a little behind us, 

 and at three o'clock in the morning of the 5th of 

 September there was a gradually widening lead to 

 the north. I felt that it was now or never, and the 

 order went down for every pound of steam and full 

 speed. Thus we rounded Cape Rawson, and Cape 

 Sheridan was in view. At last! That sloping head- 

 land looked more beautiful than the gates of para- 

 dise to our vigil-wearied eyes. 



We rounded the cape at a quarter past seven, 

 fifteen minutes later than the time of our arrival in 

 1905. Since the 23d of August, thirteen days before, 

 neither Bartlett nor I had had our clothes off. 



Should we stop here? There was still open water 

 beyond. I gave orders to steam ahead, hoping that 



