FROM 87° 6' TO GREENLAND COAST 145 



time was lost in hurrying to the place when it was 

 evident to us all that now was our chance or never, 

 and I gave the word to put on snowshoes and make 

 the attempt. I tied mine on more carefully than I 

 had ever done before. I think every other man did 

 the same, for we felt that a slip or stumble would 

 be fatal. We had already tested the ice and knew it 

 would not support us an instant without snowshoes. 



When we started it was with Panikpah, lightest of 

 of us all and most experienced, in the lead, the few 

 remaining dogs attached to the long broad-runner 

 sledge — the "Morris K. Jesup" — following him, and 

 the rest of the party abreast in widely extended skir- 

 mish line, fifty to sixty feet between each two men, some 

 distance behind the sledge. We crossed in silence, 

 each man busy with his thoughts and intent upon his 

 snowshoes. Frankly I do not care for more similar 

 experiences. Once started, we could not stop, we 

 could not lift our snowshoes. It was a matter of con- 

 stantly and smoothly gliding one past the other wuth 

 utmost care and evenness of pressure, and from every 

 man as he slid a snowshoe forv\^ard, undulations went 

 out in every direction through the thin film incrusting 

 the black water. The sledge was preceded and fol- 

 lowed by a broad swell. It was the first and only 

 time in all my Arctic work that I felt doubtful as to 

 the outcome, but when near the middle of the lead the 

 toe of my rear kamik as I slid forward from it broke 

 through twice in succession, I thought to myself 

 "this is the finish," and when a little later there was 

 a cry from someone in the line, the words sprang 

 from me of themselves: "God help him, which one is 



