Report on the expedition. 95 
report, where he writes that “Peary Channel does not?! exist; Navy cliff 
is connected by fast land with Heilprinn Land”. 
It is practically certain, that MyLıus-EricHsen and HøEG-HAGEN 
saw the “channel” landlocked; but there is, however, the possibility 
that his statement was based on supposition, and indeed it appears at 
first sight to be somewhat discounted by the fact that HoEs-HAGEN 
has not marked the bottom of Independence Fjord upon his map. 
On closer examination, however, this element of doubt will be 
removed; the omission is simply explained by the fact that the paper 
on which the chart was drawn was not large enough to permit of the 
bottom of the fjord being included. There is no doubt that Hozc-HacEn 
was of the same opinion as MYLIUS-ERICHSEN, for he has himself written 
“Independence Fjord” on the finished chart, which he certainly would 
not have done without having seen the bottom of the Fjord. And 
as far as HøEG-HAGEN is concerned, the matter is rendered perfectly 
certain by the fact that his sketch of the country about here is 
marked distinctly: “Bottom of Independence Bay”, and the drawing 
itself shows that the supposed sound is blocked by a glacier. 
In addition to this we have his sketch map, compared with his 
sketch of the country. On the sketch map Pl. V angles have been drawn 
from Varde Point, presumably leading to the southermost point of Heil- 
prinn land and to Navy Cliff. On the sketch points are marked off 
to which bearings had doubtless been taken; these are, however, not 
all shown on the map, which HoEn-HAGEN naturally did not think 
would ever be of great importance. 
On the sketch, Pl. IX, a glacier is shown filling the opening between 
Peary Land and Navy Cliff, and on the carefully redrawn chart, PI. IV, 
we find the beginning of a glacier stretching SSW from Heilprinn Land, 
and called Marie Sophie Glacier. The paper was not large enough 
to permit of this glacier being drawn in its whole length, but it must 
certainly be the northermost end of the Marie Sophie Glacier, which 
on Pl. IX is seen stretching across the supposed channel and connecting 
Heilprinn Land with Navy Cliff. 
On the sketch map Pl. V another set of angles are marked, taken 
from out on the ice, as the trend of the land rendered it impossible to 
see the opening between Navy Cliff and Academy Land from Varde 
point. This set of angles embraces the opening in question. On the basis 
of these two sets of angles, the drawing of the land and Ноес- 
HaGen’s and PEARY’S maps, the head of Independence Bay can be 
roughly drawn. 
It is clearly evident, from the foregoing, that MYrius-ERICHSEN 
and his two comrades found the supposed channel closed, and that the 
fact of HøeG-HAGEN's not having marked the head of the bay on his 
1 Underlined by Mytius-Ericusen. Note by author, 
