CHAPTER XXXI 



ONLY ONE DAY FROM THE POLE 



WITH every passing day even the Eskimos 

 were becoming more eager and interested, 

 notwithstanding the fatigue of the long 

 marches. As we stopped to make camp, they would 

 climb to some pinnacle of ice and strain their eyes 

 to the north, wondering if the Pole was in sight, for 

 they were now certain that we should get there this 

 time. 



We slept only a few hours the next night, hitting 

 the trail again a little before midnight between the 

 3d and 4th of April. The weather and the going were 

 even better than the day before. The surface of the 

 ice, except as interrupted by infrequent pressure ridges, 

 was as level as the glacial fringe from Hecla to Cape 

 Columbia, and harder. I rejoiced at the thought that 

 if the weather held good I should be able to get in my 

 five marches before noon of the 6th. 



Again we traveled for ten hours straight ahead, 

 the dogs often on the trot and occasionally on the run, 

 and in those ten hours we reeled off at least twenty- 

 five miles. I had a slight accident that day, a sledge 

 runner having passed over the side of my right foot as 

 I stumbled while running beside a team; but the hurt 

 was not severe enough to keep me from traveling. 



Near the end of the day we crossed a lead about one 



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