4 EJNAR MIKKELSEN. 
particular he had been careful to avoid buying dogs in places, where there 
was the slightest possibility of infection, and so it may be taken for 
granted that the dogs when brought onboard had not been suffering 
from any kind of infectious disease. | 
However, on board the ship, the dogs were shut up in the spare- 
bunkers, and a gale coming on the hatch was battened down. The animals 
remained in this closed-up room for about three days, or as long as the 
gale lasted, and during the whole of this period they got no air at all 
except that which passed through a lower bunker, still full of coals and 
fumes. When the hatchcovers were removed, seventeen of the dogs 
were discovered dead, most assuredly from being forced to inhale the 
poisonous air. In the afternoon six more expired and later on two. 
However, the harm being done there was nothing to do but to try 
and save the rest, so the dogs were taken onboard the “Alabama” and 
treated with the utmost care. However, they were not to be tempted 
to eat at once, and the only thing which they desired was water and 
rest. Later on they began to eat, and they had apparently improved 
a little, before the day had passed. 
We telegraphed at once to the committee stating our case, and in 
the meantime, before we could get our final orders, several of the dogs 
had died. Happily we were able to obtain the opinion of an expert, 
the Danish cruiser, Н. M.S. “Неда”, Commander Втосн, having arrived 
in Thorshavn, and the ship’s surgeon, Mr. ZACHARIAE, kindly consented 
to dissect the animals. In two cases he found inflammation of the lungs 
and in two other cases a very extensive bloodpoisoning. 
On July 11th we received our final instructions from the committee; 
we were ordered to disinfect the ship according to the directions of the 
surgeon on the Н. M.S. ‘‘Hekla” and then proceed to Angmagsalik, 
where we should buy so many dogs as were absolutely necessary. 
The dogs however were in such a plight that Mr. ZACHARIAE did 
not dare to give us a clean bill of health, and after we had talked the 
matter over with Commander Втосн, himself an old Greenland traveller, 
we decided to shoot all the dogs, to disinfect the ship entirely and then 
depart for Angmagsalik. 
On July 13th we left the Faroe Islands for Iceland where we were 
to touch Reykjavik on our way to Angmagsalik. Calms and contrary 
winds delayed us so much that we did not reach the Vestmann Islands till 
July 19th. In this place we were so lucky as to meet H. М. 5. “Islands 
Falk”, the commander of which, Commander BROCKMEYER, with his 
officers rendered us several valuable services. They began their kind 
offices by offering to tow the “Alabama” to Reykjavik, and as 
the weather was quite calm, the offer was accepted with the greatest 
pleasure. 
While in Reykjavik the engineer AAGAARD was found to be ill, 
but time being very short we decided to take him as far as Angmag- 
