10 Esnar MIKKELSEN. 
numerous icebergs grounded on outlying shoals, but we met no hind- 
rance whatsoever save the one caused by the young ice, which during 
the calm and cold weather of the last two days had obtained a thickness 
of 21/, cm ог more. 
Cape Sussi was passed in a narrow streak of landwater which dis- 
appeared 4 miles to the north of Shannon Island, and we were forced 
to return on account of impassable ice, in which large flakes of young 
ice played a prominent part. The current was also a great hindrance, 
as it ran with a speed of 2 miles an hour and brought about great di- 
sturbances in the ice. 
About 1 mile to the west of Cape Sussi we found a small, rocky 
point projecting into the water in a S W direction forming a snug, but 
very small sheltered harbour, where we anchored to await more favorable 
conditions. As yet we only considered it a temporary refuge, and no 
one thought that this cove should be our winterquarters. 
The state of the ice was reconnoitred from the highest point on 
Shannon Island, a mountain 305 metres in height just behind the cove, 
and the ice was visible almost all the way to Koldewey Island. We noticed 
that the ice north of Shannon Island appeared unbroken and that no 
water was visible between it and the packice; also, that further to the 
north, at a distance of about 15—20 miles, the ice was slack, and there 
were very large lakes between the floes about the southern point of 
Koldewey Island, but apparently no way to reach them. 
The strait to the west of Shannon Island was open, but a line of 
grounded icebergs across its northernmost end stemmed the stream of 
packice, thus packing the floes just north of it very close. 
Even a fresh southwesterly wind, which always used to slacken the 
packice, made no perceptible change, and the last few days being calm, 
clear and cold the new ice grew in thickness and extent and became 
quite impassable for a vessel with the small motor-power of the “Ala- 
Бата”. 
We therefore decided to winter in the cove where we had anchored 
on Aug. 25th, and on August 27th the “Alabama” was moored as close to 
land as we dared, but nevertheless barely out of the reach of the floating 
ice (Fig. 2). No change took place in the state of the ice during the coming 
weeks, so nothing was lost by going into winterquarters so early. 
We began at once to unship the stores, fuel, ammunition etc. which 
were all stowed on a low rocky point, and before long everybody had 
settled down to the ordinary winter routine, making or arranging sled- 
ging outfits, and we began to take regular metereological observations, 
which were carried on without interruptions until July 31. 1910, when 
the expedition left its winterquarters. 
Two men had to spend the greater part of the day in tending and 
especially preparing food for the dogs, as the hunting had given no 
results whatsoever — we only saw very few seals and shot one. Being 
