Report on the Danmark expedition to the north-east coast. 81 



The expedition, which was led by Koch, consisted of Bertelsen, 

 Hagen, Jarner, Koch, Lindhard and G. Thostrup. 



On September 15th early in the morning the expedition set out 

 in one of the ship's whale-boats. After taking measurements and 

 building a cairn on Cape Bismarck the course was set right over to 

 Røseløbet, which however was filled with ice and the passage found 

 impracticable. The boat was then hauled up on the spit and next 

 day set in the water on the other side of the island. 



On September 16th there was a strong wind wth snow and no 

 further advance could be made. 



September 17th. With the tent left standing on the spit of land, 

 the party at 6 a. m. rowed over to Store Koldewey Island, where some 

 triangulations and measurements were made as also some detailed mea- 

 surements in the neighbourhood of the head station. At the same 

 time Jarner carried out geological investigations, whilst Bertelsen 

 painted. At 7 p. m. the party returned to the spit, where the boat 

 was again hauled up on land. 



On September 18th the boat was again hauled over the spit and 

 set in the water on the eastern side of the island. The tent was again 

 left standing, whilst the boat was rowed up on the eastern side of the 

 island, where a number of triangulations were made as well as de- 

 tailed measurements. At 7 p. m. the party were again back at the 

 tent. 



September 19th. After making some triangulations and detailed 

 measurements in the morning on the western side of the island, the 

 party began the homeward journey. It was also high time. It was 

 freezing 10^, the new ice had already begun to form at many places 

 and there was the risk of not being able to force a way through. The 

 homeward voyage was very tiring and exciting; in Danmarks Havn 

 especially the new ice was so thick, that the boat could hardly get 

 through. The party did not reach the ship until 10 p. m. 



This was the last of the boat journeys for that year. On Sep- 

 tember 19th, when Koch's party returned from the Koldewey Islands, 

 the difficulties were so great, as described above, that the boat could 

 hardly force its way through the new ice in Danmarks Havn, and 

 on the 21st already the new ice was bearing. 



There was enough to do at the station however. Koch and his 

 assistants set up a base out on Basiskæret and built cairns in view 

 of the triangulation work to be done. The naturalists worked steadily 

 within their own departments, whilst all the other hands were busily 

 engaged in getting the station into order. The dogs were gradually 

 arranged into teams and divided among those who were especially 

 to take part in the sledge journeys. Many of the members of the 



XLI. 6 



