piugaattoq, an inuit hunter with 20 years of experience of the area, explained that it was just an illusion. he called it "poo-jok", which means 'mist'. however, macmillan insisted they press on, even though it was late in the season and the sea ice was breaking up. for five days they went on, following the mirage. finally, on 27 april, after they had covered some of dangerous sea ice, macmillan was forced to admit that piugaattoq was right—the land that they had sighted was in fact a mirage. (it was probably a rare form of mirage called a fata morgana.)