THE WHITE WORLD 



of the tent not more than half a mile away, and a little to 

 the left of our course. Breaking camp we started for the 

 tent, and in a short time had it folded up in our sled and 

 were marching on again. The natives were awe-stricken 

 when they saw how that tiny compass had guided us over 

 all those miles of trackless snow; they assured me that 

 they would remain with me as long as I might wish, pro- 

 viding always there was plenty of food in the outfit. 



I had no more trouble with them, but the elements were 

 against the successful completion of my task. Soon after 

 the tent had been struck, and we had started for the cache 

 again, a great white cloud enveloped us. This prevented 

 all progress, as any one who has been in a similar position 

 well knows. One cannot take half a dozen steps in a 

 straight line, and, as it is impossible to carry a compass 

 steady enough to keep one direction by depending on it 

 alone, one might just as well be without that instrument. 



I cannot describe, in any adequate manner, the sensa- 

 tion of being on the ice-cap and enveloped in one of those 

 clouds. One can feel the surface beneath his feet, but he 

 cannot see it. He can perceive no horizon, as the earth 

 and sky are both of one color. The foot tracks in the 

 snow, even, are invisible, and one feels as if he were sus- 

 pended in gray space. The only thing to do was to camp 

 and wait for clear weather. 



The next morning was Thursday, and, as I knew that I 

 was within two or three miles of the cache, I thought that 

 it would be a good plan to locate the store* of provisions 

 exactly, before moving camp, especially as the last mile 

 or so of my journey the day before had been made while 

 in the cloud, and I knew that I was a little off my course. 

 The two natives and I started to find the cache. 



It was not so easy a task as I had expected, however, and 

 I found that it was noon before I had located it. Thinking 

 that either one or more of my assistants might have been 

 more fortunate, I retraced my steps to the tent only to be 

 disappointed. Exasperated at finding the entire forenoon 

 wasted in fruitless search, I started out to look for the 

 cache again, not even going into the tent to get a lunch. 

 An hour or so later, the cloud once more enveloped me, 

 and I tried to retrace my steps to the tent. It soon began 



iS4 



