Report on the Danmark expedition to the north-east coast. 91 



snowstorm suddenly sprung up from the north-west, which stopped 

 all advance and forced them to pitch the tent. 



The storm raged without break on November 15th, 16th and 17th; 

 and meantime all the dogs' food had been used up. 



On November ISth the weather at last cleared and the homeward 

 journey was begun immediately at daybreak. The party reached 

 the ship the same day, a good deal exhausted after the extremely 

 hard journey along the east side of the island. 



In addition to the geological and geographical observations the 

 result of this sledge journey, as of the previous, was the training ob- 

 tained by the party and the experience gained in the difficult work 

 of sledging. 



Sledge journey to Pendulum Islands, 



''111 to *,\„ 1906 Ч 



In the autumn of 1906 Mylius-Erichsen desired to make a 

 sledge journey to the depots of the Baldwin-Ziegler Expedition 

 at Cape Philip Broke (Shannon Isl.) and on Bass Rock, in order to 

 ascertain what these depots could offer in case of necessity. At the 

 same time, as agreed upon before leaving Copenhagen, he wished 

 to deposit a post with report from the Expedition in the depot at 

 Cape Philip Broke. 



Koch, the astronomer of the Expedition, and Wegener, who 

 was responsible for the magnetic observations, also desired to make 

 the journey, the former to try and determine by pocket chronometers 

 the difference of longitude between the observatory of the Ger- 

 mania Expedition and Danmarks Havn, the latter in order to deter- 

 mine the secular variation - in the magnetic elements. 



Not without reason Mylius-Erichsen had grave doubts as to 

 the advisability of attempting such a great sledge journey with un- 

 trained personnel at such an advanced time of year; but yielded to 

 Koch and Wegener's desire to take part. To help somewhat over 

 the difficult conditions, he arranged for the first part of the route 

 to be reconnoitred, both along the west coast of Store Kodewey Is- 

 land and over towards Cape Peschel (see pp. 86 — 87). At both places, 

 along with the work of inspection, small depots were formed to sup- 

 port the expedition. The result of the preliminary journeys was, 

 that Mylius-Erichsen selected the route along the mainland and 

 at the same time gave orders, that Hagen after the departure of the 

 sledge expedition was to bring fresh stores to the depot made by G. 

 Thostrup at Cape Peschel. 



According to the original intention, the expedition was to start 



^ The report on this sledge journey, which has been Icindly given me by Cap- 

 tain Koch, is reproduced here ahiiost as written by him. 



* The variation in declination, inclination and horizontal intensity. 



