160 THENORTHPOLE 



To the south the circumference of the horizon was 

 bounded by the sharp, jagged, serrated mountain 

 ranges, mostly parallel to the coast. Every day we 

 have a glorious dawn lasting for hours. A golden 

 gleam is radiated from parallel ranges of serrated 

 mountains. Individual peaks reflect the light of the 

 sun, which will illuminate them with its direct rays in 

 a few days. There is a cornea of golden glow, crim- 

 son and yellow, with strata of darker clouds floating 

 parallel to the coast ranges — Turner effects for hours 

 each day and for days in succession, the effect increas- 

 ing from day to day. I am writing under difficulties, 

 Innighito (an Eskimo) holding the candle. My hands 

 are so cold that I can scarcely guide my pencil, as I 

 recline on the bed platform of the igloo." 



But all this anticipates. On the 12th of October 

 the sun had bidden us good-by for the year, and the 

 rapidly darkening twilight increased the difficulties 

 of the field work. Our photographs grew daily less 

 satisfactory. We had not been able to take snap- 

 shots since about the middle of September; for, when 

 the sun is near the horizon, though the light is appar- 

 ently as brilliant as in summer, it seems to have no 

 actinic power. Our first time-exposures were five 

 seconds; our last, on the 28th of October, were ninety 

 minutes. The temperature also was gradually getting 

 lower, and on the 29th of October it was 26° below 

 zero. 



The fall work ended with the return of Bartlett 

 and his party from Cape Columbia, on November 5th, 

 the other men having all returned before. By that 

 time the light had disappeared, and it would be neces- 



