We had found the Pole.

Should we return to tell the story?
Before we hit the trail I had a brief talk with the men of the party and made them understand that it was essential that we should reach the land before the next spring tides.

To this end every nerve must be strained.

From now on it was to be a case of "big travel," little sleep, and hustle every minute.

My plan was to try to make double marches on the entire return journey; that is to say, to start out, cover one northward march, make tea and eat luncheon, then cover another march, then sleep a few hours, and push on again.