Report on the Danmark expedition to the north-east coast. 129 



May 22nd. Departure at 7.30 a. m. Drove across Herlufsholm 

 Strand towards the depot with petroleum and sledge provisions west 

 of Cape Ejler Rasmussen. Tobias shot a musk-ox and brought it 

 in on the sledge. Strong wind from the W.S.W. with snow-drift, later 

 dense driving snow. Heavy sledging. After covering 40 kilometers 

 in 1314 hours it was evident that they had missed the depot. Raised 

 the tent at 9 p. m. Picked out the marrow from the bones of the killed 

 musk-ox and ate it raw with snow. They tried to drink the blood 

 not yet clotted but found it nauseating. 



May 23rd. In the course of the afternoon the weather became 

 better and they succeeded in ascertaining where they were by means 

 of Koch's own chart. At 4 p. m. Tobias drove away to fetch the 

 sledge provisions, petroleum and spirit of the depot. He returned later 

 with these. They now had oatmeal porridge and prunes and Bertel- 

 sen and Koch each drank half a liter of boiled water hoping that it 

 would be good for the constipation. 



May 24th. The meal on the preceding day did not help Bertel- 

 sen, whereas Koch was more fortunate. Koch decided as the last 

 resource to give Bertelsen an injection by means of a petroleum 

 funnel. The experiment succeeded better than expected and was 

 repeated during the next 8 to 14 days every second day. 



Started at 8.30 a. m. for the meat depot up under the hills at 

 Herlufsholm Strand. Returned the same day to the tent with the 

 meat. 



May 25th. Departure towards the S.E. at 11.15 a. m. Reached 

 the coast after having driven 6}^^ kilometers. From there Tobias 

 drove back to the provision depot to fetch the remainder of the goods, 

 while Bertelsen and Koch drove towards the S.W. along the coast. 

 Heavy sledging with loose snow. Were obliged to stop at 5 p. m. 

 because Koch was feverish. (Fever was fairly common at this time 

 whenever the conditions required continuous physical exertion). Odo- 

 meter distance 22 kilometers. Tobias returned to the tent place at 

 5.30 p. m. 



May 26th. The apparently favourable conditions for hunting 

 at Herlufsholm Strand had given Koch the idea to proceed to the 

 Academy Glacier. It was quite uncertain whether jNIylius-Erichsen 

 had really succeeded in reaching so far, *till more dubious if he had 

 penetrated through the Peary Channel. For the 2nd party, however, 

 a journey to the Academy Glacier and — if they found nu trace of the 

 1st party — still further towards the north-west through the Peary Chan- 

 nel would in all probabiHty force them to remain in the north the 

 whole summer with return to the ship across the autumn ice. Коси 

 thoroughly discussed the plan with Bertelsen and Tobias. In order 

 to carry out the plan without too great a risk, it was necessary to 

 shoot so much game on Herlufsholm Strand that they had enough 



XLI. 9 



