THE POLE! 
us to demonstrate that we were the men who, 
it had been ordained, should unlock the door 
which held the mystery of the Arctic. With- 
out an instant's hesitation, the order to push 
on was given, and we started off in the trail 
made by the Captain to cover the Farthest 
North he had made and to push on over one 
hundred and thirty miles to our final desti- 
nation. 
The Captain had had rough going, but, ow- 
ing to the fact that his trail was our track 
for a short time, and that we came to good 
going shortly after leaving his turning point, 
we made excellent distance without any trou- 
ble, and only stopped when we came to a lead 
barely frozen over, a full twenty-five miles be- 
yond. We camped and waited for the strong 
southeast wind to force the sides of the lead 
together. The Esquimos had eaten a meal 
of stewed dog, cooked over a fire of wood 
from a discarded sledge, and, owing to their 
wonderful powers of recuperation, were in 
good condition; Commander Peary and my- 
self, rested and invigorated by our thirty hours 
in the last camp, waiting for the return and 
departure of Captain Bartlett, were also in fine 
128 
