ch. xlii] Danish Expeditions to Greenland 365 
be established, a short distance west of Cape Farewell. 
Lieut. Holm arranged to use the Eskimo umiaks or 
women's boats, which are made, of a light wooden frame 
with seal-skin covering, flat-bottomed, easy to haul up 
on the ice, to carry, or to repair, and at the same time 
capable of taking a fairly good load. While the huts 
for winter quarters were being constructed at Nanortalik, 
Lieut. Holm was forming a large depot, exploring the 
most southern fjords, and establishing pleasant relations 
with the east coast natives. He returned on the 16th 
of September, and found the winter quarters ready. 
The main expedition, consisting of four umiaks 
with five women rowers, and seven kayaks, started from 
Nanortalik on the 5th May 1884 ; but found progress 
very slow through the ice, and there was much detention. 
On the 27th June a gale of wind scattered the floes 
near the shore and some progress was made. Towards 
the end of July it was arranged that Garde, with a 
young scientific student named Peter Eberlin, should 
return to Nanortalik, making collections by the way, 
while Holm, with Hans Knudsen (another scientific 
assistant) and the very intelligent interpreter Johan 
Petersen, pushed onwards to the north with two umiaks, 
six Eskimo men and two women, and a year's provisions. 
The furthest point attained by Captain Graah — the 
Dannebrog Islands in 65 0 18' N.— was reached on the 
25th August, the entrance to the Sermilik Fjord was 
next passed, and Tasuisarsik reached in 65°37'N., where 
Holm determined to pass the winter. 
This proved to be an important base whence the 
explorers could examine the intricate fjords and islands 
of a district known to the natives by the name of Angmag- 
salik, and all the winter they had constant communication 
with a hitherto unknown tribe of Eskimo. Lieut. Holm 
explored the chief part of the great Sermilik Fjord, and 
during the winter, with the aid of the interpreter Petersen, 
he was able to study the traditions and folk-lore of the 
natives and to make a large and important ethnographic 
collection. He also investigated the ice movements, 
and came to the conclusion that Angmagsalik was the 
most accessible position along the east Greenland coast. 
The reason for this appears to be that the numerous 
