INTRODUCTION. 3 



with tlie coast of Greenland for a basis, or to advancing 

 towards the North Pole by the open sea between Nova 

 Zembla and Spitzbergen. Captain Koldewey declared 

 for the former course, and also for retaining the pro- 

 gramme of the Expedition of 1868 ; taking this view of 

 the case, viz., that it must be a condition sme qua non to 

 make the coast, in which case they would have a far greater 

 prospect, even under the most difficult and adverse cir- 

 cumstances, of making discoveries and scientific investi- 

 gations, than by advancing on the higli sea towards the 

 Pole. 



Dr. Petermann acknowledged the force of this argu- 

 ment, and agreed that East Grreenland must be the point 

 to keep in sight. 



A communication dated from Gotha, 8th March, 1869, 

 brought these proceedings to the knowledge of \hQ friends 

 of the undertaking. The plan was now nearly as follows : 

 *' That the expedition should consist of a newly -built 

 screw steamer and of the sailing-yacht ' Greenland,' a 

 ship of the pioneer journey of 1868; that the end and 

 aim of the same should be discovery and exploration 

 in the Central Arctic region, from 74° N.L. upwards, 

 the East Greenland coast being the basis. The ' Green- 

 land,' acting as consort and transport- ship, should return 

 in the autumn of the same year ; but the return of the chief 

 ship should not take place until late in the autumn of 

 1870, after their intended wintering. That the aim of 

 the expedition should be scientific, as well as nautical ; 

 the latter department being under the command of 

 Captain Karl Koldewey, who the year before had proved 

 himself so able in every respect, and whose character for 

 courage, perseverance, and self-sacrifice in- the cause, 



B 2 



