360 p. Freuchen. 



of small icebergs lay round it, Brønlund's Fjord also being filled with 

 such bergs, which had been driven across by the wind from the other 

 side of the fjord. 



13th June (Lat. 92°9' N., 30°20' W.). 



Crossed straight over the mouth of Brønlunds Fjord to Cape Knud 

 Rasmussen. The seals were now more numerous than ever; it was im- 

 possible to count them as we drove. Knud Rasmussen found some 

 Eskimo tent rings here, at the outermost point of the promontory which 

 Mylius Erichsen had named after him. 



Went on 12 kilometres past Cape Knud Rasmussen to a little point 

 where it was easy to land. Generally, there lay a broad belt of melting- 

 water between the ice and the land ; here and there however, one might 

 come upon a loose floe of ice which could serve as a ferry on which to 

 cross. Great numbers of seals all over the ice. 



Cape Knud Rasmussen forms the commencement of that chain of 

 rocky heights which runs from here all along the northern coast of Inde- 

 pendence Fjord as far as Cape Schmelck; this first part consists of sedi- 

 ment rock, and lies apart from the heights by Brønlunds Fjord, already 

 referred to, and the valley which forms its continuation. The front of 

 the range facing the fjord consists of great slopes, the height increasing 

 as one nears Cape Schmelck. These slopes of the sediment formation 

 are very fertile, and abounding with game, musk ox and hare being 

 plentiful. Farther to the west, however, where the diabase crops out, 

 the ground becomes perfectly barren. We set out from the camp, 

 where we had been forced to halt by a violent westerly gale, and made 

 our way northwards over the heights, which here reached some 650 

 metres. The range breaks off sheer towards Brønlunds Fjord, and con- 

 tinues westward as far as Chr. Erichsens Bræ, which fills the valley at 

 the inner end of Brønlunds Fjord. The icebergs in the fjord had not 

 drifted farther in than the point where this sharp break occurs. The 

 inner portion of the fjord is therefore probably shallow. 



At this camp, as also at the former one, musk ox came wandering 

 down to the tent. 



The ice in Independence Fjord was not more than 5 metres thick; 

 about 30 metres from the shore lay a number of fairly large icebergs, 

 which became more numerous as we came farther in. 



15th June (Lat. 81°59', long. 30°55' W.). 



At about 32°4' N., 31° W., we came to a jutting point which even 

 from a distance was conspicuous on account of its peculiar shape, the 

 worn and rounded surface presenting a distinct contrast to the rugged 

 sediment rock. This was the diabase which here came to light, just as 

 on the two islands. Great and Little Diabasholm, outside. At Diabas- 

 næs we made a brief investigation in the hope of finding the point of 

 transition, and obtaining samples, but without success, both the ness 



