250 THENORTHPOLE 



ing lead. Getting the last sledge over caused a delay 

 of a few hours, as we had to cut an ice raft with pick- 

 axes to ferry the sledge, dogs, and Eskimo driver 

 across. This impromptu ferry-boat was cut on our 

 side and was moved across the lead by means of two 

 coils of rope fastened together and stretching from 

 side to side. When the cake was ready, two of my Eski- 

 mos got on it, we threw the line across to the Eskimo 

 on the other side, the Eskimos on the ice raft took 

 hold of the rope, the Eskimos on either shore held the 

 ends, and the raft was pulled over. Then the dogs 

 and sledge and the three Eskimos took their place on 

 the ice cake, and we hauled them over to our side. 

 While we were engaged in this business we saw a seal 

 disporting himself in the open water of the lead. 



At the end of the next march, which was about 

 fifteen miles, and which put us across the 86th parallel, 

 we reached Bartlett's next camp, where we found Hen- 

 son and his party in their igloo. I got them out and 

 under way at once, sending by one of them a brief 

 note of encouragement to Bartlett, telling him that his 

 last camp was beyond 86°, that he would probably 

 sleep that night beyond the Norwegian record, and 

 urging him to speed us up for all he was worth. 



In this march there was some pretty heavy going. 

 Part of the way was over small old floes, which had 

 been broken up by many seasons of unceasing conflict 

 with the winds and tides. Enclosing these more or 

 less level floes were heavy pressure ridges over which 

 we and the dogs were obliged to climb. Often the 

 driver of a heavily loaded sledge would be forced to 

 lift it by main strength over some obstruction. Those 



