CHAPTER XLIII 
LATER GREENLAND EXPLORATIONS— MIKKELSEN, 
RASMUSSEN— KOCH 
MlKKELSEN 
The quest of any further information respecting the 
Erichsen expedition was a worthy object, and it called 
forth the zealous enthusiasm of Einar Mikkelsen, the 
gallant young explorer who had already served in the 
expedition of Captain Amdrup, and had later won fame 
from his fine effort in the Beaufort Sea. He received 
the warm encouragement of his former chief Amdrup, of 
Captain Holm, and others ; a Committee was formed, a 
fund was raised, half contributed by the Danish Govern- 
ment, and the Alabama of Stavanger (only 40 tons) was 
bought, strengthened, equipped, and supplied with 18 
months' provisions. Dogs were obtained in Greenland. 
Mikkelsen had with him Lieut. Laub of the Danish Navy, 
Lieut. Jorgensen of the Danish army, Iver Iversen, a 
naval engineer, Olsen and Paulsen, mates, and the car- 
penter, Carl Unger. 
The Alabama sailed from Copenhagen on the 20th of 
June, 1909, and after many difficulties and much danger 
from the ice arrived safely off Shannon Island. An 
autumn journey was made to the place where Bronlund 
died, which proved a most dangerous undertaking. It 
was indeed a race for life against water, thin ice, and 
darkness. The body was found, a grave was built over 
it, and memorials were deposited. The party returned 
on December 18th, 1909, after an absence of 95 days, one 
of the most remarkable autumn Arctic journeys on record. 
During the first winter, in the hope of finding docu- 
ments, Mikkelsen resolved to undertake a journey to 
Danmark Sound by crossing the glacial land, a novel and 
hazardous undertaking. He made direct for the head of 
the fjord, and for part of the way was accompanied by 
Lieut. Laub with another dog sledge. Mikkelsen had only 
