tlett's last march that day.
We did not attempt to do more because the dogs were feeling the effects
of the recent high speed and it was desired to have them in the best
possible condition for the next day, when I expected some trouble with
the young ice we were sure to meet. At this spot certain eliminations
which we were compelled to make among the dogs left us a total of
thirty-five.

[Illustration: COPYRIGHT, 1910, BY FREDERICK A. STOKES COMPANY

CROSSING A LEAD ON AN ICE-CAKE AS A FERRY-BOAT]

Sunday, April 11, proved a brilliant day, the sun breaking through the
clouds soon after we left camp. The air was nearly calm, the sun seemed
almost hot, and its glare was intense. If it had not been for our
smoked goggles we should have suffered from snow-blindness. Despite the
expectation of trouble with which we began this march, we were agreeably
disappointed. On the upward journey, all this region had been covered
with young ice, and we thought it reasonable to expect open water here,
or at the best that the trail would have been obliterated; but there had
not been enough movement of the ice to break the trail. So far there had
been no lateral--east and west--movement of the ice. This was the great,
fortunate, natural feature of the home trip, and the principal reason
why we had so little trouble. We stopped for lunch at the "lead" igloos,
and as we finished our meal the ice opened behind us. We had crossed
just in time. Here we noticed some fox tracks that had just been made.
The animal was probably disturbed by our approach. These are the most
northerly animal tracks ever seen.

Inspirited by our good fortune, we pressed on again, completing two
marches, and when we camped were very near the 87th parallel. The entry
that I made in my diary that night is perhaps worth quoting: "Hope to
reach the Marvin return igloo to-morrow. I shall be glad when we get
there onto the big ice again. This region here was open water as late as
February and early March and is now covered with young ice which is
extremely unreliable as a means of return. A few hours of a brisk wind,
east, west, or south, would make this entire region open water for from
fifty to sixty miles north and south and an unknown extent east and
west. Only calm weather or a northerly wind keeps it practicable."

A double march brought us to Camp Abruzzi, 86 deg. 38', named in honor of
the farthest north of the Duke of the Abruzzi. The trail was faulted in
seve