ALL READY 
would have to work our way. Dark and 
heavy clouds along the horizon gave indica- 
tion of open water, and it was easy to see that 
the rough and heavy shore-ice would make no 
jokes for us to appreciate. 
About an hour or so after the midday meal, 
a loud outcry from the dogs made me go out- 
side to see what was up. This was on the 
afternoon of February 26. I quickly saw 
what the dogs were excited about. 
With a "Whoop halloo," three Komaticks 
were racing and tearing down the gradient of 
the land to our camp, and all of us were out 
to see the finish. Kudlooktoo and Arkeo an 
even distance apart; and, heads up, tails up, 
a full five sledge-lengths ahead, with snowdust 
spinning free, the dog-team of the ever vic- 
torious Peary in the lead. The caravan came 
to a halt with a grandstand finish that it would 
have done you good to witness. 
The Commander didn't want to stop. He 
immediately commenced to shout and issue or- 
ders, and, by the time he had calmed down, 
both Captain Bartlett and George Borup had 
loaded up and pushed forward on to the ice 
of the Arctic Ocean, bound for the trophy of 
73 
