66 G. Amdrup. 



and a course could again be set south along the land and into the sound 

 between Cape Bismarck and North Koldewey Island. At 10 p. m. 

 the engines were stopped and all the dogs landed. 



On August 17th, 0.1Г) a. m., the vessel .steamed into the bay in- 

 side Cape Bismarck and moored to an ice-floe. As the bay was closed 

 except towards S.— S.S.E., where the islands outside partially covered 

 the entrance, through which it was not believed that drift-ice of any 

 importance could penetrate, and as soundings showed that the depth 

 was suitable with excellent holding ground, it was resolved to choose 

 the bay as winter station. But as the bay was open towards the S. — 

 S.S.E., half a day was taken to examine the conditions more closely. 

 The wait only proved, however, that an excellent harbour had been 

 found and at 9 p. m. the vessel steered into the head of the bay and 

 anchored in 7 fathoms of water. Thus, the first condition was ful- 

 filled for the successful carrying out of the main object of the Expedi- 

 tion, the investigation of the east coast of Greenland. The harbour was 

 called "Danmarks Havn" and lay at 76°46'17"N.lat. and 18°37' W.long. 



It may be of interest here to compare the ice-conditions off the 

 east coast of Greenland in this year with those of other years. For 

 this purpose we have excellent material in the report \ which is pub- 

 lished yearly by the Danish Meteorological Institute on the ice- 

 conditions in the arctic seas and which is based on the information 

 collected, on the Institute's initiative, by all the vessels sailing in 

 these waters, chiefly the whaling and fishing vessels. 



In the "General survey for 1906", Ave find p. xii: 



"In the Greenland Sea the ice belt was broader than usual and 

 along the northern and eastern coasts of Greenland the winter ice 

 was very thick and extended much further out to sea than usual". 



And in the detailed reports for 1906, p. xvii: 



''July. In the Greenland Sea unbroken polar ice was met witli 

 between 77" and 81" N. lat. within a border of scattered ice. 



At 75° the sealing steamer "Laura" entered the ice on July 16th 

 in an attempt to reach the east coast of Greenland. After working 

 through a broad belt of drifting ice, its way was blocked at 15° — 17° 

 W. long, by an apparently land-fast field of ice 60 miles broad, which 

 consisted of polar ice and winter ice frozen together. Several futile 

 attempts were made to reach land between 73° and 75° N. lat. 



August. In the Greenland Sea the "Laura" continued its at- 

 tempts to reach the east coast of Greenland. They were just as futile, 

 however, as in July, and on August loth it sought out through the 

 ice at ca. 73° N. lat." 



' V. Garde. The state of the ice in the arctic seas 1906. Piiblislied by the 

 Danish Meteorological Institute on invitation of the VII International Ge- 

 ographical Congress. To be found in the Nautical-Meteorological-Annual JiiiiU 

 published by the Danish Meteorological Institute. 



