386 CONQUERING THE ARCTIC ICE 



but preferred to take a direct line along the telephone poles con- 

 necting Nome and Candle, instead of following the easier but 

 considerably more roundabout way of the Fish River. We 

 made in all forty-four miles that day over exceedingly rough 

 ground. 



. On the next day the weather was still cold and fine, and we 

 were off early to make a good run. We went over the Fox 

 River, where there was hardly a particle of snow for seven miles, 

 and the sledge almost flew along the glare ice and went faster 

 than ever, when a ptarmigan happened to fly up in front of the 

 sledge and take our course. Then the dogs became excited, 

 they wanted to catch it, and for a long time we went as fast as 

 a dog could run, and the sledge was jumping from one uneven- 

 ness to another, sliding broadside at times over the ice, almost 

 shaking us off. It was a fine run and we enjoyed it immensely, 

 but, like most good things, it was not destined to last. After the 

 smooth expanse of the river we came to some awful hills, first 

 going up slowly and heavily, then sliding down on the other 

 side with a speed that was neckbreaking. At last the divide was 

 behind us and we came down on Salomon River. The wind 

 blew hard and raised a strong snowdrift, but it was fair, and 

 before dark we had reached a road-house. Near this road-house 

 was one of civilization's outposts a railroad station. The 

 train was, of course, only running in summertime, but there 

 all the same were bridges, station, everything, in fact, which 

 belongs to a modern railroad. 



Through storms and snowdrifts, in a fearfully low temperature, 

 we pushed our way along the south side of Seward Peninsula 

 toward Nome, where we arrived on Saturday, January 4, about 

 eighty days after I left Flaxman Island. In Nome a great and 

 unexpected pleasure was in store for me. When I came within 

 a few miles of the town itself some countrymen came out to 

 meet me. They had the Danish and the American flags with 

 them ; the Danish flag, I confess to my shame, was the first I 

 had seen since leaving Victoria, as one I had expected with the 

 mail before our departure came too late. At the time I was 

 not able to thank them in proper words for their kindness, nor 

 can I do so now, but this I will say, that nothing has ever 

 touched me more deeply or caused me greater pleasure than to 

 see men and women, some of them old enough to be my 



