Report on the Danmark expedition to the north-east coast 107 



C. The great sledge journey northwards in the spring of 1907. 

 1, Review of tiie preparations for the sledge journey. 



The preparations for the journey had meant a considerable amount 

 of work. As mentioned above, they embraced in the main the fol- 

 lowing : 



Mylius-Erichsen: preparation of the general plan of the journey. 



Mylius-Erichsen and Koch: selection of the men for the sledge 

 parties. 



Mylius-Erichsen: preparation of lists of the provisions and stores 

 for the sledges. 



GuNDAHL Knudsen and the Greenlanders: construction of the wood- 

 work and fitting up of the sledges. 



Ring: preparation and packing of the dogs' food. 



Ropery under the direction of G. Thostrup: making of traces and 

 straps. 



And, lastly, common to all: sewing of sleeping bags, furs, kamikker 

 (skin-boots), canvas boots, fur caps, dogs' harness and much more; 

 fitting skis to the sledge runners, training and feeding of the different 

 dog teams. 



Further, the following depots had been prepared: 



1) on Nordre Depot Island in Jøkelbugt at 78°14'. 



2) on Box Islands (37 boxes of pemmican for the dogs, each 25 kg.). 

 According to the plan this food for the dogs was to have been depos- 

 ited on Nordre Depot Island in February 1907. As mentioned above 

 (seep. 103), however, Mylius-Erichsen had made the depot in a snow- 

 storm on some islands, which were assumed to lie south of Nordre 

 Depot Island. As the sledges had been obliged to return during the 

 same storm, it was not known with certainty, on setting out in March, 

 where this depot lay. 



3) on the land inside Bjørneskærene (Bear Skerries). 



4) on the mainland east of Cape Amélie. 

 .5) at Cape Marie Valdemar. 



6) on the outer coast about 8 kilometers east of Danmarks Havn. 



2. Main object of the sledge journey, 

 composition and plan. 



The main object of the expedition was an investigation of the 

 perfectly unknown north-east coast right up to the points reached 

 from the west by Peary, namely. Navy Cliff (81°37' N. lat. and 34°05' 



