ral places, but we picked it up each time without much difficulty.
The following day was a bitterly disagreeable one. On this march we had
in our faces a fresh southwest wind that, ever and again, spat snow that
stung like needles and searched every opening in our clothing. But we
were so delighted that we were across the young ice that these things
seemed like trifles. The end of this march was at "Camp Nansen," named
in honor of Nansen's "Farthest North."

This return journey was apparently destined to be full of contrasts, for
the next day was one of brilliant sunlight and perfect calm. Despite the
good weather the dogs seemed almost lifeless. It was impossible to get
them to move faster than a walk, light though the loads were. Henson and
the Eskimos also appeared to be a bit stale, so that it seemed wise to
make a single march here instead of the usual double march.

After a good sleep we started to put in another double march and then we
began to feel the effects of the wind. Even before we broke camp the ice
began to crack and groan all about the igloo. Close by the camp a lead
opened as we set out, and in order to get across it we were obliged to
use an ice-cake ferry.

[Illustration: SWINGING AN ICE-CAKE ACROSS A LEAD TO FORM AN IMPROMPTU
BRIDGE]

Between there and the next camp, at 85 deg. 48', we found three igloos where
Marvin and Bartlett had been delayed by wide leads, now frozen over. My
Eskimos identified these igloos by recognizing in their construction the
handiwork of men in the parties of Bartlett and Marvin. The Eskimos can
nearly always tell who built an igloo. Though they are all
constructed on one general principle, there are always peculiarities of
individual workmanship which are readily recognized by these experienced
children of the North.

During the first march of the day we found the trail badly faulted, the
ice breaking up in all directions under the pressure of the wind, and
some of the way we were on the run, the dogs jumping from one piece of
ice to another. During the second march we saw a recent bear track,
probably made by the same animal whose track we had seen on the upward
journey. All along here were numerous cracks and narrow leads, but we
were able to cross them without any great delay. There was one lead a
mile wide which had formed since the upward trip, and the young ice over
it was now breaking up.

[Illustration: PASSING OVER THE BRIDGE]

Perhaps we took chances h