i62 NEAREST THE POLE 



quiescent in camp, but was very pronounced when we 

 undertook to travel. I imagined at least that I felt 

 weaker than at any time during the return, but my head 

 was much more active, and I cheated the time awa}^ as I 

 tramped mechanically in an air-line toward Cape May 

 setting the trail for the rest of the party to follow, by 

 plans for my western trip to be undertaken after we 

 got back to the Roosevelt, and even went beyond the 

 bounds of the present expedition and lifted myself 

 out of the weary drag of our present surroundings by 

 thoughts of home matters. 



The next march brought us to Cape May, where we 

 found numbers of hare tracks but did not secure any 

 of the animals. A few willow twigs obtained here 

 enabled us to cook some of the pieces of remaining meat. 



I had hoped on the next march to reach Cape Bryant 

 and so be in a position to scout the neighbouring coun- 

 try for the musk-oxen which I felt sure we should find 

 in the region from Cape Bryant to Repulse Harbour. 

 Our strength, however, was not equal to the entire 

 width of Sherard Osbom and St. George's fiords at 

 one pull, and we camped on the ice some four or five 

 miles east of Cape Bryant. At this camp we finished 

 the last of the musk-ox meat. Feeling sure that we 

 should find musk-oxen in the rolling country from Cape 

 Bryant westward I had made no attempt to restrain 

 my men, and both during the march and while in camp 

 they were eating continuously when not asleep. From 

 this camp the entire shore from Cape Bryant into St. 

 George's Fiord was very carefully examined with the 

 spy glass for musk-oxen or their tracks, but without 

 success. 



