322 THENORTHPOLE 



in the party, seven sledges with the standard loads, 

 and sixty dogs. Men and dogs are in first class con- 

 dition. The captain, with the fourth and last support- 

 ing party, expects to turn back at the end of five more 

 marches. Determined our latitude by observations 

 on March 22, and again to-day, March 25. A copy 

 of the observations and computations is herewith 

 enclosed. Results of observations were as follows: 

 Latitude at noon, March 22, 85° 48' north. Latitude 

 at noon, March 25, 86° 38' north. Distance made 

 good in three marches, fifty minutes of latitude, an 

 average of sixteen and two-thirds nautical miles per 

 march. The weather is fine, going good and improv- 

 ing each day. 



"Ross G. Marvin, 

 "College of Civil Engineering, 

 Cornell University" 



With a sad heart I went to my cabin on the 

 Roosevelt. Notwithstanding the good fortune with 

 which we had accomplished the return, the death of 

 Marvin emphasized the danger to which we had all 

 been subjected, for there was not one of us but had 

 been in the water of a lead at some time during the 

 journey. 



Despite the mental depression that resulted from 

 this terrible news about poor Marvin, for twenty-four 

 hours after my return I felt physically as fit as ever 

 and ready to hit the trail again if necessary. But 

 at the end of twenty -four hours the reaction came, and 

 it came with a bump. It was, of course, the inevitable 

 result of complete change of diet and atmosphere, 



