118 EJNAR MIKKELSEN. 
be shallow all the way across, as the whole sound was filled with small pieces 
of grounded ice. We were surprised at this, as we had expected to find 
deep water off the steep Mallemukfjæld, but we could reach the bottom 
with a pole of 2% metres’ length almost 2 miles off land. The bottom 
when seen through the numerous cracks was full of small starfishes and 
some shells. It was quite smooth and sandy. 
When we left Holm’s Land, on July 8th, the sea-ice was separated 
from land by a stretch of landwater 5 a 10 metres broad, and it was 
difficult to pass Mallemukfjældet with a sledge on account of open water, 
but once at sea we found good sledging conditions. The snow, where 
it was not accumulated by pressure-ridges, was all melted off the ice 
from last fall, and ponds a couple of hundred metres in extent and knee- 
deep were all over its surface. The dogs had sometimes to swim 
over the deeper places in the ponds, and the load on the sledge was 
stowed on the top of empty tins to keep it clear of the water. 
Broad lanes delayed us considerably, and when we found them too 
broad to cross, we had to get hold of a small piece of ice, which could 
be used as a sort of raft. 
Similar conditions prevailed all across the Dijmphna Sound, and the 
progress we made was consequently so small that we did not reach 
Саре H.N. Andersen until July 11th 4 a.m. 
On July 12th we had the misfortune to loose some of our outfit, 
as a small flow which we used as a raft, broke underneath the sledge. 
The sledge fell into the water, and we dared not cut our lashings for 
fear of loosing our entire outfit, but eventually we had to run the risk 
and do it, as it was impossible for us to get our sledge out of the water 
in any other way. We lost our theodolite, our spade and a few other 
minor articles as well as the botanical and geological specimens collected 
in Fyen’s Lake, Danmark’s Fjord and at Mallemukfjældet. The camera and 
some rolls of exposed films got also spoiled by water. Our greatest loss, 
however, was some of our scanty food, while what we saved had been 
soaked for an hour and a half in salt water and was almost spoiled. 
Foggy weather delayed us a good deal on this journey, as we dared 
not sledge between this maze of lanes when prevented from picking 
out the best road, and so we camped, whenever the fog became too 
dense. We were not in any particular hurry, being as well-off out at 
sea as on land, and on the sea-ice we could furthermore expect at any 
time to get a seal or bear. 
On July 13th we camped on a small rock about half way down 
the coast of Hovgaard Island, close to the glacier, but surrounded by 
water. We saw some eiderducks in the water and shot one, but we 
lost it again, as the bird drifted away from us. 
On July 14th we made comparatively good progress over ice, which 
was level, bare of snow and free from frozen-up old floes, but our pro- 
gress was as usual delayed by the lanes, which apparently became broader 
