CHAPTER IV 



THE GERMAN EXPEDITION (1869-70) 



The German Expedition left Bremerhaven on 15th June 

 1869. There were two boats — the Germania and the Hansa. 

 The expedition was to make the east coast of Greenland 

 and then penetrate to the north as far as possible. 



The ice was reached on 15th July. On the 20th of July 

 the two ships were separated through a misunderstanding, 

 and they never met again. 



From the 20th of July till the end of August the Hansa 

 struggled through the pack-ice which drifts along the 

 coast of Geeenland. According to instructions, it was to 

 attempt to reach Sabine Island, but that was found 

 impossible. At the end of August it became fast in the 

 ice, and drifted south. 



On the 27th September the crew of the Hansa began 

 building a house with coal-tiles on the floe. It was 

 20 feet long, 14 feet broad, and 6h feet in the gable, 

 while the side walls were 4 feet 8 inches high. For 

 cement, powdered snow was used, and over this water was 

 poured, which soon froze the whole into a compact mass. 



About the middle of October the Hansa was wrecked 

 by the pressure of the ice. It sprang a leak and slowly 

 sank, and the crew had sufficient time to save a good 

 many necessary articles which were stacked round the 

 house on the, floe. 



The ice-field slowly but steadily drifted to the south. 



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