Hydrographical Observations l'rom the Danmark Expedition. 281 



are usually very difficult to approach. The intention was, if possible, 

 to find a way out through the pack-ice at the most northerly lat- 

 itude possible, in order to investigate the hydrographical conditions 

 near the supposed submarine ridge connecting N. E. Greenland to 

 Spitzbergen, the existence of which had become more probable from 

 the discovery, that Greenland extended far to the N. E., running out 

 in the low peninsula charted by the Danmark Expedition. 



We succeeded in making a number of soundings, as also zoolog- 

 ical and hydrographical investigations in the "coast-water" off the 

 Greenland coast as far as to ca. 78° N. lat. (Series LXXIII— LXXVII). 



At this latitude we met with some dense ice in the attempt to 

 get out eastwards and owing to damage to the engines and fog, we 

 were compelled to turn southwards. 



We tried first to keep our course due south, but constantly met 

 ^vith dense ice. 



It was quite evident, that the pack-ice lay with an edge towards 

 the land-water, which ran in the direction almost S. S. E. from the place 

 where we had first encountered pack-ice, ca. 78° N. lat., 14° W. long. 



To come free of the ice in the fog we held our course true S.W. 

 until the water became almost free of ice, then kept south and later 

 S. E., turning southwards when the ice became denser. In this way, 

 in constant fog, we came out of the pack-ice almost at the same lat- 

 itude as we had entered (ca. 76° N. lat.) and on the way carried out 

 supplementary hydrographical investigations (Series LXXVII I and 

 LXXIX). 



I may give a brief extract from the log of the voyage out through 

 the ice. 



-2/, 1908. Hydrographical and trawling investigations off Ma- 

 roussia. 



23/,. Noon position: 77°27'N., 16°0'W. Stood N. N.E. out in 

 the coast water. The water almost quite free of ice. The few large 

 floes encountered quite eaten into and consist of winter-ice. Weather : 

 clear. Wind : S.W. ; strength 1. 



2*/,. Noon position cal. . 78° 04' N., 14° 00' W. Soundings and 

 hydrographical investigations. Stood further north as far as 78° N. 

 lat. and then due E. Encountered a dense ice-edge. 12 midday : 

 Stopped the engines partly owing to leaky boiler tubes, partly ow- 

 ing to fog. Weather: fog. Wind: southerly; strength 1. 



25/,. Noon position: 77°36'N., 14°17'W. 6 a.m. Boilers re- 

 paired. Steered in the fog along the ice-edge and then S.W. and W. 

 clear of the ice. Weather : fog. Wind : still. 



26/,. Noon position cal: 77° 21' N., 15° 26' W. Surrounded in 

 the fog by some large ice-fields. These were much eaten into and their 

 thickness varied from ^/4 — ^/2 m. Between the ice-fields were a few 

 remains of mounds of screw-ice, which had a height of ca. 5 m. above 



