THE POLE! 
to overtake the column. When we caught up, 
we found the boys gathered around the Com- 
mander, doing their best to relieve him of his 
discomfort, for he had fallen into the water 
also, and while he was not complaining, I was 
sure that his bath had not been any more volun- 
tary than mine had been. 
When we halted on April 6, 1909, and 
started to build the igloos, the dogs and 
sledges having been secured, I noticed Com- 
mander Peary at work unloading his sledge 
and unpacking several bundles of equipment. 
He pulled out from under his kooletah (thick, 
fur outer-garment) a small folded package 
and unfolded it. I recognized his old silk 
flag, and realized that this was to be a camp 
of importance. Our different camps had been 
known as Camp ISTumber One, Number Two, 
etc., but after the turning back of Captain 
Bartlett, the camps had been given names such 
as Camp Nansen, Camp Cagni, etc., and I 
asked what the name of this camp was to be — 
"Camp Peary" ? "This, my boy, is to be Camp 
Morris K. Jesup, the last and most northerly 
camp on the earth." He fastened the flag to 
a staffs and planted it firmly on the top of his 
132 
