BORUP'S FARTHEST NORTH 241 



damage to the sledges was the reason given for the 

 delay. 



This march having been largely over a broad zone of 

 rough rubble ice, some of my own sledges had suffered 

 slight damage, and the entire party was now halted 

 and the sledges were overhauled. 



After a short sleep I put Marvin ahead to pick 

 the trail, with instructions to try to make two long 

 marches to bring up the average. 



Marvin got away very early, followed a little later 

 by Bartlett, Borup, and Henson, with pickaxes to 

 improve further the trail made by Marvin. After that 

 came the sledges of their divisions, I, as usual, bringing 

 up the rear with my division, that I might have every- 

 thing ahead of me and know just how things were 

 going. Marvin gave us a good march of not less than 

 seventeen miles, at first over very rough ice, then over 

 larger and more level floes, with a good deal of young 

 ice between. 



At the end of this march, on the evening of the 19th, 

 while the Eskimos were building the igloos, I outlined 

 to the remaining members of my party, Bartlett, 

 Marvin, Borup, and Henson, the program which I 

 should endeavor to follow from that time on. At the 

 end of the next march (which would be five marches 

 from where MacMillan and the doctor turned back) 

 Borup would return with three Eskimos, twenty dogs, 

 and one sledge, leaving the main party — twelve men, 

 ten sledges, and eighty dogs. Five marches farther on 

 Marvin would return with two Eskimos, twenty dogs, 

 and one sledge, leaving the main party with nine men, 

 seven sledges, and sixty dogs. Five marches farther 



