The gold leaf., 1909-11-04
r yigor dispelIed that idea

More sleep was quite impossible. We
brewed an extra pot of tea, prepared
favorite broth Of pemmican. dug up a
surprise Of fancy biscuits and filled up
on good things to the limit Of the al
lowance for our final feast days. The
dogs, which had joined the chorus Of
gladness, were given an extra lump Of
pemmican A few hours more were
agreeably spent in the tent. and then
we started with new spirit for the
uttermost north.
We were excited to fever heat.
The feet were light on this run. Even
the dogs caught the infectious enthusi-
asm and rushed a!Oug ut u pacc which
made il difficult for HE to keep Il sutti
cient advance to set Il good course
The horizon was still searched for
something 10 mark the approaching
boreal center. but nothing unusual was
seen. 1t was the same eXpanSe of
moving seas of ice on which We had
lived for 500 miles.
But, looking through s!addened eyes.
the scene assumed new glory. There
were plains of gold fenced in purple
walls, with gilded crests. 1t was one
Of the few days on the stormy pack
when all nature smiled with cheering
lights.
From my position few hundred
yards ahead of the sleds l could not
resist the temptation to turn frequently
to see the movement of the dog train
with its new fire. In this direction
n
Icy walls were in gold and burning col
ors, while the plains represented every
shade Of purple and blue.
~ At the North Pole.
Through this sea Of color the dogs
came with q spirited tread, noses down,
tails up and shoulders braced to the
straps like chariot horses. The young
Eskimos chanting songs of love, came
with easy step. The long whip was
swung with a brisk crack, and all over
there rose a cloud of frosted breath.
Camp was pitched early in the morn
ing of April 20. The sun was north
east; the pack glowed in tones of lilac;
the normal westerly air of shivers
brushed our frosty faces. The surpris-
ing burst of enthusiasm had been
nursed to its limits, and under it a long
march was made over average ice
with the usual result of overbearing
fatigue. Too tired and sleepy to wait
for cup Of tea, melted SHOWS were
poured down and the pemlnican was
pounded with the ak to ease the task
Of the jaws. The eyes closed before
nj no
was lost to us for eight hours. The
observation gave latitude SO degrees
465 minutes, longitude "a degrees 81
minutes.
With the boys singing and the dogs
bowling we started off after midnight
on April 21. The dogs looked large
and noble as they came along that
day, while Etukishuk and Ahwelah,
though thin and ragged, had dignity
as heroes Of the greatest human bat
tie which had ever been fought with
remarkable success.
We were all lifted to the paradise of
winners as we stepped over the SHOWS
of a destiny for which we had risked
life and willingly suffered the tortures
of an icy hell.
The ice under us seemed almost sa-
cred. When the pedometer registered
fourteen and a half miles we camped
and calmly went to sleep, feeling that
we were turning on the earth's axis.
The observations, however, gave 80
degrees 50 minutes 45 seconds. We
therefore had the pole, or the exact
spot where it should be. within sight.
We advanced the fifteen seconds,
made supplementary observations,
pitched the tent, built snow igloo
and prepared to make ourselves COM
Portable for stay long enough for two
rounds Of observations.
Our position was thus doubly assur.
ed, and a necessary day of rest was
gained. Etukishuk and Ahwelah en-
joyed the day in quiet repose, but
slept very little. My goal was reach.
ed; the ambition of my life had been
fulfilled. How could I sleep away
such overwhelming moments of ella
ton?
The Dream Realized.
At last we had reached the boreal
center. The dream of nations had been