st two marches. The now continuous
daylight permitted a modification of the previous arrangement so as to
bring the two parties in touch every twenty-four hours. The main party
remained in camp for about twelve hours after the departure of the
advance. The advance party made its march, camped, and turned in. When
the main party had covered the march made by the advance party and
arrived at their igloos, the advance party broke out and started on
while the main party occupied their igloos and turned in for sleep.

Thus I was in touch with Bartlett and his division every twenty-four
hours, to make any changes in the loads that seemed advisable, and to
encourage the men if necessary. At this stage in our journey Henson's
party traveled with Bartlett's pioneer party, and Marvin and his men
traveled with mine.

This arrangement kept the parties closer together, relieved the pioneers
of all apprehension, and reduced by fifty per cent. the chance of
separation of the parties by the opening of a lead.

Occasionally I found it advisable to transfer an Eskimo from one
division to another. Sometimes, as has been seen, these odd people are
rather difficult to manage; and if Bartlett or any other member of the
expedition did not like a certain Eskimo, or had trouble in managing
him, I would take that Eskimo into my own division, giving the other
party one of my Eskimos, because I could get along with any of them. In
other words, I gave the other men their preferences, taking myself the
men who were left. Of course, when I came to make up my division for the
final dash, I took my favorites among the most efficient of the Eskimos.

At the next camp Marvin made a sounding and to our surprise reached
bottom at only three hundred and ten fathoms, but in the process of
reeling up the wire it separated, and the lead and some of the wire were
lost.

Soon after midnight we got under way, Marvin taking a sledge, and after
a short march--only some ten miles--we reached Bartlett's camp. He had
been delayed by the breaking of one of his sledges, and I found one of
his men and Henson's party still there repairing the sledge. Bartlett
himself had gone on, and Henson and the other men got away soon after
our arrival.

Marvin made another sounding of seven hundred fathoms and no bottom,
unfortunately losing two pickaxes (which had been used in place of a
lead) and more of the wire in hauling it up. Then we turned in. It was a
fine day, with c