378 Arctic and Antarctic Exploration [part i 
one coinpanion, the engineer Iver Iversen, a good cook, 
an expert dog driver, and a man of many accomplishments 
The two sledges carried respectively 600 and 650 lb. of 
provisions and were drawn one by nine and the other by 
eleven dogs. 
On April 1st Mikkelsen and Laub found that they were 
by observation no less than 15 miles south of their dead 
reckoning, much to their surprise and dismay — only an- 
other proof of the uselessness of dead reckoning unless 
checked by astronomical observations. It was intended 
that Laub should travel round the west side of the large 
nunatak called Dronning Luisa's Land and then return 
round the south end. At the north end of the land there 
was a little moss here and there, but no sign of any living 
thing. Bad weather, excessively difficult marching, and 
shortage of provisions obliged Laub and his two companions 
to return by the way they came, and on reaching the 
winter quarters they found that the Alabama had filled 
and sunk, and their shipmates were in a tent. Eventually, 
however, they were able to build a house with some of the 
ship's timbers. 
Meanwhile Captain Mikkelsen and his companion 
Iversen continued their march, making a very remarkable 
and difficult journey across the inland ice direct to the 
head of the Danmark Fjord which, it will be remembered, 
had been discovered by Erichsen. On May 18th they 
reached the head of the fjord. Several remains of 
Erichsen's party were found, then a record, and ultimately 
a second record. Erichsen recorded this discovery of the 
long fjord, at the head of which was Peary's furthest 
point, with two fjords branching from it. He had also 
found that Peary's strait across Greenland had no exist- 
ence. This information was important, as Mikkelsen had 
intended to return by the imaginary channel and the 
west coast of Greenland, in which case he and his com- 
panion would probably have perished. As it was, the 
return by the coast with the dogs worn out, deep soft 
snow, and much surface water, was a sufficiently dangerous 
undertaking. Mikkelsen was for some time unable to 
walk, and the explorers went through great hardships. 
At length, after terrible sufferings, the two men re- 
turned to the winter quarters, only to find that their ship 
