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2.

its tunes. But all the appliances of civilisation did not relieve
them from the difficulties and dangers of the Far North. They had
many hard and perilous journeys and many days of short rations. The
expedition was a happy company; they had no tiffs and practically no
sickness. One delightful feature of the book is the account of the
many Eskimos, with whom the travellors formed a warm friendship - the race
whom Mr. Kipling has called the "People of the Elder Ice."

The day is past for the discovery of any big new geographical
secrets. The modern explorer must concentrate on limited problems of
scientific interest. Moreover in these difficult times no large funds
are available for exploration, so an expedition must be organised
with thrift and providence down to the last decimal. It is impossible
to read Mr. Shackleton's story without realising that the impulse towards adventure
and discovery is as strong today in our young men as ever. There
is a certain comfort, the writer says truly, in "reasonable hardship",
quite apart from the old "he olim meminisse" business. Moreover,
the scientist has the satisfaction of finding his pleasure coincide
with his duty. The man who has once experienced the potent spell of
the North cannot easily forget it. There is a vast mount of intensive
work still to be done in Ellesmere Land, and, to take one instance,
an advance base at Lake Hazen would probably produce ornithological
data of the first importance. I am glad to know that another and a
longer expedition is in prospect which will put fully on the scientific
map Canada's most northerly territory.