ESKIMOS LOSE NERVE 237 



the continental shelf which this sounding showed to 

 be between there and Camp No. 4 (with the proba- 

 bility of its being between Camp Nos. 4 and 5), 

 probably at about the 84th parallel. The continental 

 shelf is simply a submerged plateau surrounding all the 

 continent, the "Big Lead" marking the northern edge 

 of that shelf where it dips into the polar sea. 



Monday, March 15, was also clear and cold, with a 

 temperature between 45° and 50° below zero. The 

 wind had shifted again to the east and was very pene- 

 trating. Bartlett and Marvin started off with the 

 pickaxes as soon as they had finished their morning 

 tea and pemmican, and their divisions, with Borup and 

 his division, followed as soon as their sledges were 

 stowed. 



MacMillan got away for Columbia with two 

 Eskimos, two sledges, and fourteen dogs. The main 

 expedition now comprised sixteen men, twelve sledges, 

 and one hundred dogs. One sledge had been broken 

 up to repair the others, three had been taken back with 

 the returning parties, and two were left at this camp 

 to be utilized on the return. Of the sledges that now 

 went on, seven were the new type of Peary sledge and 

 five were the old Eskimo pattern. 



After saying good by to MacMillan I followed the 

 other three divisions to the north, bringing up the rear 

 as previously. The going in this march was similar to 

 that of the previous one, fairly good, as it was over the 

 old floes. The soreness in my fractured leg which had 

 troubled me more or less all the way from Cape 

 Columbia was now almost entirely gone. 



Late in the afternoon we began to hear loud reports 



