PARTIES TURN BACK 
heart stopped palpitating, I breathed easier, 
and my mind was relieved. It was not my 
turn yet, I was to continue onward and there 
only remained one person between me and the 
Pole — the Captain. We knew Commander 
Peary's general plan: that, at the end of cer- 
tain periods, certain parties would turn south 
to the land and the ship ; but we did not know 
who would comprise or command those parties 
and, until I had the Commander's word, I 
feared that I would be the next after Borup. 
At the same time, I did not see how Marvin 
could travel much longer, as his feet were 
veryjiadly: frozen. '" --— 
Obedient to the Commander's orders, the 
Captain, I, and our Esquimos, left camp 
with loaded sledges and trudged over the 
newly made trail, coming to rough ice which 
stretched for a distance of five miles, and kept 
us hard at back-straining, shoulder-wrench- 
ing work for several hours. The rest of the 
day's march was over level, unbroken, young 
ice; and the distance covered was considerable. 
March 26: The Commander and party 
reached the igloo at ten- forty-five a. m. 
Captain Bartlett had taken to the trail at six 
113 
