38 G. Amdrlp. 



great experience. It is not surprising that he at once set himself a 

 new task and this was no less than the exploration of the still unknown 

 part of the east and north-east coast of Greenland. It was during 

 his endeavours to start an expedition with this object in view, that 

 Mylius-Erichsen once spoke at a lecture: 



The fortunate man who has but once assisted to lift il cmly a 

 small fold of the curtain over unknown sceneries of land and sea, new 

 coasts, new life, new fields of experience, will feel more than others 

 the attraction of unknown regions. And he who knows, that such 

 a region lies unseen, untrodden and unexplored, within the lands of 

 his own nation, will consider it his national duty to rouse the endeavour 

 which will solve this wtirk of exploration. 



And if he feels in himself an irresistible impulse and believes himself 

 in the possession of at any rate some ability to carry out a pioneer 

 work of exploration, then with trust and conlidence he offers — two 

 willing hands, two open eyes and all a sound young man's strength and 

 endurance. For him the task becomes sacred, it seems to be not only 

 his comrades' and his own; it belongs to the whole nation, even to 

 our whole civihsation. He will reach the goal — if human power can 

 reach it". 



These words of iMylius-Erichsen show more clearly than anything 

 else, what sacred fire burned in his breast to accomplish the task and 

 gave him the qualities of a leader who stimulated his companions 

 with the same fire and enthusiasm, so that they followed him with 

 life and soul until the end was achieved. For it was granted to Mylius- 

 Erichsen, that he himself should be the fortunate one, who accom- 

 plished the great task, the exploration of the still unknown part of 

 Greenland's east and north-east coast. 



Mylius-Erichsen returned from his "literary Greenland's Ex- 

 pedition" in 1904 and already in the beginning of the year 1905 he 

 laid his first plans for an expedition to the north-east coast of Green- 

 land before the four Danish naval officers, who earlier had taken part as 

 leaders in the exploration of the east coast, namely. Captain G. Holm, 

 Commander C. Ryder and Commander T. V. Garde and First- 

 lieutenant G. Ajvidrup, all of the navy. 



Mylius-Erichsen's plan at that time was, that he should be 

 landed on Shannon Island with 4 European companions and 2 Eskimo 

 and from there push as far northwards as possible with the sledges. 

 Onboard the ship of the Expedition there should be a number of 

 scientists, who should carry out investigations in Ardencaple 

 Inlet and Tyroler Fjord in the course of the summer, but should not 

 stay the winter there, the idea being to send back the ship in the 

 autumn. 



