96 G. Amdrup. 



The journey had been successfully accomphshed. M ylius-E rich- 

 sen had deposited a post-bag on Bass Rock and had inspected the 

 depot there. Wegener's observations had been successful, but Koch 

 had been unfortunate. Two of the watches, which were carried on 

 the sledge, had not been able to stand the low temperature; they had 

 become uncertain and at last stopped, because they could not be 

 wound up in good time on the nighi, Koch's sledge had fallen into 

 the water. 



The journey had quite a special and fateful importance owing 

 to the exceptional achievements on the homeward journey. In 5 

 days Koch, G. Thostrup and Wegener had travelled over 310 kilo- 

 meters from Germania Harbour to Danmarks Havn in the darkest 

 month of the year at a temperature of about — 30" C. and with full 

 loads on the sledges '. This means an average speed per day of 63 

 kilometers; in one day they had travelled about 83 kilometers. 



Mylius-Erichsen, who had been accustomed at Cape York to 

 regard a day's journey of half a hundred kilometers as of little ac- 

 count and who had expressed the opinion at home, that it would not 

 matter whether the ship was stationed at Shannon Island or at Cape 

 Bismarck, as he would be able with his Greenlanders to travel this 

 distance in a couple of days, was now more than ever convinced by 

 these achievements of untrained men, that his journey to Peary Chan- 

 nel would go easily and smoothly. And even if the coming spring 

 journey should offer unexpected difficulties and delays, and result 

 in an enforced stay far north during the summer, yet he would be 

 able to reach the ship in the course of a few weeks over the ice of the 

 following autumn. 



The following winter, when another sledge expedition was made 

 to Shannon Island and Bass Rock, and this time with experienced 

 and trained sledge drivers, was to bring the truth home to overflowing, 

 that the conditions in the one year formetl no safe basis for conclu- 

 sions as to the conditions in the next. 



Sledge journey to Cape Peschel to lay out depots, 



''in to '-5/„, 1906. 



The main object of the expedition was to deposit a quantity of 

 dried fish and sledge provisions in a depot at Cape Peschel, at the 

 same point where a depot had been made about the 1st of November. 

 The depot was to support the sledge party to the Pendulum Islands 

 on its return journey. 



The expedition, which had 3 sledges, consisted of Hagen, leader, 

 Peter Hansen and Charles Poulsen. 



On November 23rd at 814 a. m. the journey began in clear, calm 

 weather. In accordance >vith the experience gained on the previous 



' Probably about 300 kg. per sledge including sledge. 



