Nov. 26, 1874] 



NATURE 



that it would be eminently desirable to have in each of 

 our older universities the very simple and moderate accom- 

 modation attached to their botanic gardens v^hich is 

 needed, if only for giving students an opportunity of going 

 over for themselves biological phenomena so funda- 

 mental in their general 'character and so comparatively 

 easy to investigate. 



THE SECOND GERMAN ARCTIC EXPEDI- 



TION 

 The German Arctic Expediiion in 1869-70, and Narra- 

 tive of the Wreck of the " Hansa " in the Ice. By 

 Capt. Koldewey, Commander of the Expedition, assisted 

 by members of the Scientific Staff. With numerous 

 Woodcuts, two Coloured Maps, two Portraits on Steel, 

 and four Chromolithographic Illustrations. Translated 

 and Abridged by the Rev. L. Mercier, M.A. Oxon ; 

 and edited by H. W. Bates, F.L.S., Assistant Secretary, 

 R.G.S. (London : Sampson Low and Co., 1S74.) 

 'T'HLS well-told and extremely interesting narrative of 

 J- the fruitful German expedition to East Greenland 

 in 1869-70 strongly confirms what we have said in our 

 leading article with regard to the necessity of Govern- 

 ment undertaking arctic exploration in order that it may 

 be carried on with the greatest efficiency, the wisdom of 

 choosing the route by Smith's Sound, and the valuable 

 results that may be looked for from an expedition orga- 

 nised on a broad and liberal basis and carried out in 

 a thoroughly systematic manner. 



This expedition was initiated at Bremen shortly after 

 the return of the first German Arctic Expedition, by Dr. 

 Petermann, Capt. Koldewey, and a few others who are 

 eager to advance the exploration of the polar req-ions, 

 the object being to penetrate into the still unknown heart 

 of these regions, making the east coast of Greenland the 

 basis of operations. An elaborate plan of exploration was 

 drawn out, which included the S(Jlution of nearly all the 

 questions with respect to the arctic regions that yet 

 remain unsolved. The funds were to he raised by public 

 subscription, and the large committee of eminent scientific 

 men who undertook the organisation of the expedition 

 worked enthusiastically to get it set afloat. The scheme 

 was well received by the German public. It was calcu- 

 lated that the whole expenses of the expedition would 

 amount to 10,500/., and we are glad to see that all this 

 was obtained, and even additional expenses paid off after 

 the return of the expedition. 



As might be surmised, this sum was adequate for only 

 a modest expedition ; it is calculated that our Government 

 expedition will cost at least six times that amount. Two 

 small vessels were procured to carr)- the members of the 

 expedition, the Germania and Hansa, the latter to act as 

 tender to the former. The Germania was built expressly 

 for the purpose, was a small two-masted screw steamer of 

 143 tons burden, thoroughly well sheathed and adapted 

 for ice-navigation ; for a ship of its size, indeed, it could 

 hardly have been better fitted than it was to struggle 

 with all the dangers of ice-navigation. The Hansa was a 

 schooner of 76^ tons burden, which had been built in 

 1S64 ; as she was to act as tender to the Germania, she 

 does not seeni^ to have been so stronglv armed as the 



latter. The internal fittings, provisioning, and general 

 equipment were all that could be desired, considering the 

 modest sum with which the organisers had to work. 



The commander of the expedition was Capt. Koldewey, 

 thirty-two years of age, an experienced arctic navigator 

 and an enthusiast for arctic exploration, who by scientific 

 study had added to his practical qualifications for the 

 command of such an expedition ; Capt. Hegemann ruled 

 on board the Hansa. The narrative of the expedition 

 contains a brief sketch of the career of each of the scien- 

 tific members of the expedition, all of whom .seem to 

 have been well qualified for their particularwork. Physics, 

 astronomy, botany, zoology, geology-, and geode^v each 

 had its representative, and on the whole we are bound to 

 say the interests of each department were well cared for. 

 One of the most efficient and hardest working members of 

 the expedition was Lieut. Julius Payer, then twentv-sevpn 

 years old, and 'now so famous in connection with the 

 successful Austro-Hungarian expedition. There was an 

 Englishman on board, Dr. Copeland, who. along with Dr. 

 Btirgen, undertook astronomical and physical science, as 

 well as geodesy. Dr. Pansch was well qualified to look 

 after the botany ; and Prof. Dr. Laube, of Vienna, was 

 zoologist on board the unfortunate Havsa. Still, the 

 narrative must forcibly impress any careful reader with 

 the idea that the scientific staff was far from adequate for 

 the work of thorough arctic exploration ; officers and 

 men worked heart and soul to carry out the objects of the 

 expedition, and the results obtained are well worth the 

 money expended ; but at almost'every step it was evident 

 that the work was greatly hampered for want of men. 



The two ships, with well-assorted staffs and crews, 

 left Bremerhaven on June 15, 1869, in presence of his 

 Majesty the King of Prussia, who showed the warmest 

 interest in'the expedition. They went joyously on their 

 journey, everyone on board in excellent spirits, the scien - 

 tific staff making what observations were possible on the 

 life and temperature in sea and air. This part of the 

 narrative, as indeed the whole story of the expedition, is 

 told with a most charming simplicity and freshness, which 

 has been well kept up in the English abridged translation. 

 The solitary and rugged Jan Mayen was sighted on July g. 

 but the almost eternal mist forbade any attempt at landing. 

 Both Germania and Hansa struck the ice on July 15, the 

 former in 74° 47' N. lat. and 11° 50' W. long., and the 

 latter in 74° 57' N. and 9° 41' W. The two ships had lost 

 sight of each other on July 10, and did not meet again 

 till tlie iSth, keeping in sight of each other among the ice 

 till the 20th. On that day the Germania signalled to the 

 Hansa to come within hail, which unfortunately Ca]5t. 

 Hegemann misunderstood, and kept further off; the two 

 ships did not meet again. Up to this time they 

 had been sailing northwards, mostly in dense fogs, 

 trying to find an opening through "which they might pene- 

 trate through the ice-line, so as to get as near the land as 

 possible. As no favourable opening could be found, the 

 ships turned southw.ards, agreeing to meet at Sabine 

 Island. Shortly after the Hansa got caught among the 

 ice, with which she continued to struggle heavily, and by 

 August 14 was hopelessly involved in the impenetrable 

 masses. From this time she was at the mercy of the ice, 

 with which she drifted south until Oct. 21, when, in 70° 

 52' N. arid 21° W., she was crushed between the heavy 



