122 G. Amdbup. 



sitions in the plan had failed; but he was at the same time of the be- 

 lief, that even so he should not at once give up all idea of making the 

 journey. A reasonable amount of risk had to be taken, especially 

 here where it was a question of investigating the last, unknown stretch 

 of an extensive land. The risk, however, should not fall on the sledge 

 parties, whose main task was to support those going furthest north. 

 For those who had to return, the journey could not have the same 

 attraction as for the 1st and 2nd parties, who steadily pushed for- 

 ward into the outermost, unknown land. 



The returning parties had sacrificed time and energy for the others 

 and if Mylius-Erichsen had asked them, in fact, if he had not pre- 

 vented them, they would have shared the full risk with him. This 

 Mylius-Erichsen could not agree to. When the supporting parties 

 turned back, sledges and dogs were exchanged, so that the 1st and 

 2nd parties always had the least damaged sledges and the strongest 

 dogs; on the other hand, Mylius-Erichsen took care, thai the re- 

 turning parties were so well provided with provisions and dugs' food, 

 that they not only could reach the shi]) but also, if the hunting gave 

 them a chance, (^ould carry out their cartographic investigations suc- 

 cessfully. 



From 81°.30' the coast line bent evenly more and more to the 

 west; it seemed as if Independence Bay now lay straight in front 

 without too many windings and turnings. It was now simply a ques- 

 tion of having good hunting; with this it could be taken as fairly cer- 

 tain, that they would reach the goal aimed at for the time being. [Jn- 

 fortunately, the chances of hunting were not good. The land was 

 covered with ice everywhere and the sea-ice was old and far too solid 

 to encourage any hope of meeting with seals or bears. When the 

 gneiss hills in Erik S. Henius Land began to appear, the hope of game 

 again arose; but when Myluts-Erichsen tented under Nakkehoved 

 in the evening, the hope had vanished. The land was obviously only 

 a small, isolated group of hills; a few kilometers further west the in- 

 land ice again projected right out over the coast. 



May 1st. The journey was continued in the afternoon at .^..^0. 

 The coast now tended due west and some few hours later west by 

 south. No land whatsoever was seen to the west. Hitherto the screw- 

 ice had lain close to land; now its margins extended out over the sea 

 towards the north-west, whilst at the same time the inland ice jutted 

 out over the sea-ice and made advance diflicult owing to the presence 

 of fissures and loose snow. 



It was originally Mylius-Erichsen's intention, that the 1st 

 and 2nd parties should keep together as far as Independence Bay 

 and in company try the fortunes of hunting either on Academy Land 

 or right over on Peary Land. If they were fortunate, Mylius-Erich- 



