6 G. Holm. 



The members of the Expedition were T, V. Garde, First Lieute- 

 nant (now Captain), and the scientists, Hans Knutsen from Christia- 

 nia and Peter Ererlin. We had also two young half-breed Green- 

 landers with us as interpreters, namely the brothers Johan and 

 Henrik Petersen, and a native missionary Johannes Hansen, called 

 Hanserak, as a head for the crew. The native crew consisted of 

 about thirty Greenland women and men, distributed in four umiaks, 

 which were accompanied by four kaiaks. 



During the first summer a large depot w^as established some 

 distance up the East coast at Iluilek, and all the fjords on the most 

 southerly part of the coast were investigated. The winter of 1883 

 — 84 was spent at Nanortalik. 



The Expedition once more left the West coast in the beginning 

 of May 1884, and was equipped in such a way that half of the 

 Europeans and one umiak crew should be able to pass the winter 

 on the East coast; but we had to take our chance of making a good 

 capture of seals both on our voyage and at the wintering place. 



The journey up along the East coast was very laborious, on 

 account of the drift ice which blocked the way. We repeatedly 

 came upon inhabited places. The natives received us everywhere 

 with great hospitality, and accompanied us for shorter or longer 

 distances on our way north. At the end of July, we came to Ting- 

 miarmiut, which was about half-way. A depot having been esta- 

 blished here, the greater part of the members of the Expedition 

 turned back. This part of the expedition was to examine carefully 

 the part of the coast we had already traversed, particularl}' the 

 deep fjords, and then once more to winter at Nanortalik, and go to 

 meet us with new supplies of provisions in 1885. 



The main expedition now consisted, besides myself, of Knutsen, 

 Johan Petersen, Hanserak, the Eskimo Samuel, and six Eskimo 

 women as rowers, in two umiaks. We managed to get to accompany 

 us on our way north a boat from Sermilik, the head-man of which 

 was called Ilinguaki. This exceedingly capable and amiable man 

 was our guide to the district of Angmagsalik; without his guidance 

 the Expedition would scarcely have succeeded in getting up there. 

 He had been for several years on a \^yage south and was now 

 returning to his home- 

 On account of the difficulties with the ice we did not get to 

 Angmagsalik before the end of August. But then we could con- 

 gratulate ourselves on having attained our goal. We had not found 

 the slightest trace of ruins of the Northerners, but we found here a 

 comparatively large Eskimo population which had not been previously 



