At the end of the next march (which would be five marches from where MacMillan and the doctor turned back) Borup would return with three Eskimos, twenty dogs, and one sledge, leaving the main party--twelve men, ten sledges, and eighty dogs.

Five marches farther on Marvin would return with two Eskimos, twenty dogs, and one sledge, leaving the main party with nine men, seven sledges, and sixty dogs.

Five marches farther on Bartlett would return with two Eskimos, twenty dogs, and one sledge, leaving the main party six men, forty dogs, and five sledges.
I hoped that with good weather, and the ice no worse than that which we had already encountered, Borup might get beyond 85 deg., Marvin beyond 86 deg., and Bartlett beyond 87 deg..

At the end of each five-march section I should send back the poorest dogs, the least effective Eskimos, and the worst damaged sledges.
As will appear, this program was carried out without a hitch, and the farthest of each division was even better than I had hoped.

At this camp the supplies, equipment, and personal gear of Borup and his Eskimos were left for them to pick up on their way home, thus avoiding the transportation of some two hundred and fifty pounds out and back over the next march.
The 19th was a brilliant day of yellow sunlight.