Turned out at four-thirty A. M., to find a steadily falling
snow storm upon us. We breakfasted, and fifteen minutes later we were
once more at work making trail. Our burly neighbor, the pressure-ridge,
in whose lee we had spent the night, did not make an insuperable
obstacle, and in the course of an hour we had made a trail across it,
and returned to the igloo for the sledges. We found that the main column
had reached camp, and after greetings had been given, Commander Peary
called me aside and gave me my orders; to take the trail at once, to
speed it up to the best of my ability and cover as much distance as
possible; for he intended that I should remain at the igloo the
following day to sort out the best dogs and rearrange the loads, as
Marvin was to turn back with the fourth supporting-party. My heart
stopped palpitating, I breathed easier, and my mind was relieved. It was
not my turn yet, I was to continue onward and there only remained one
person between me and the Pole--the Captain. We knew Commander Peary's
general plan: that, at the end of certain periods, certain parties would
turn south to the land and the ship; but we did not know who would
comprise or command those parties and, until I had the Commander's word,
I feared that I would be the next after Borup. At the same time, I did
not see how Marvin could travel much longer, as his feet were very badly
frozen.

Obedient to the Commander's orders, the Captain, I, and our Esquimos,
left camp with loaded sledges and trudged over the newly made trail,
coming to rough ice which stretched for a distance of five miles, and
kept us hard at back-straining, shoulder-wrenching work for several
hours. The rest of the day's march was over level, unbroken, young ice;
and the distance covered was considerable.

March 26: The Commander and party reached the igloo at ten-forty-five A.
M. Captain Bartlett had taken to the trail at six A. M., and was now
miles to the northward, out of sight. I immediately started to work on
the task assigned me by the Commander, assorting the dogs first, so that
the different king dogs could fight it out and adjust themselves to new
conditions while I was rearranging the loads.

At twelve, noon, Professor Marvin took his final sight, and after
figuring it out told me that he made it 86 deg. 38' north.

The work of readjusting the loads kept me busy until seven P. M. While
doing this work I came across my Bible that I had neglected so long,