236 THE NORTH POLE 



the standard loads already described, and I found that 

 I had just twelve. This left some men and dogs over, 

 so that it was not serious news when MacMillan called 

 my attention to a frosted heel with which he had 

 been worrying along for several days without saying 

 anything to any one about it. I saw at once that the 

 only thing for him to do was to turn back. 



It was a disappointment to me to lose MacMillan so 

 early, as I had hoped that he would be able to go to a 

 comparatively high latitude; but his disability did not 

 affect the main proposition. I had ample personnel, 

 as well as provisions, sledges, and dogs; and the men, 

 like the equipment, were interchangeable. 



Here it may be well to note that, beyond my saying 

 to Bartlett at Cape Columbia that I hoped conditions 

 might be such as to give me the benefit of his energy 

 and sturdy shoulders to some point beyond Abruzzi's 

 farthest, no member of the party knew how far he was 

 to go, or when he was to turn back. Yet this made no 

 difference in the eagerness of their work. Naturally I 

 had my definite program; but conditions or accidents 

 might necessitate such instant and radical modifica- 

 tions of it that it seemed hardly worth while to make 

 it known. Few, if any, other explorers have had so 

 efficient and congenial a party as mine this last time. 

 Every man was glad to subordinate his own personal 

 feelings and ambitions to the ultimate success of the 

 expedition. 



Marvin made a sounding about a half mile north 

 of the camp and got eight hundred and twenty-five 

 fathoms, which substantiated my belief that we had 

 crossed the "Big Lead." This lead probably follows 



