The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1883-10-06 00:00:00

THE NORDENSKJOLD EXPEDITION.

The Correspondent of the Standard, under date
Reykjavilc, Sept. 15, writes :
The steamer Sophia, with Professor Nordenskjold's
exploring party, arrived here on the 9th inst. The
Sophia left Reykj ivik on the outward voyage on
the 10th of June, and sighted Greenland on the
12th, near Ingolfsfell. On approaching within an
hour's steam of the land her progress was stopped
by be, and she ran southward along the coast,
round Cape Farewell, and entered Julianehsab on the
17th of Juno, passing through a good deal of loose
ice. The Sophia was the first ship to enter Juliane-
haab this summer. Thence she proceeded to Iviglot,
and coaled there, landed Dr. Nathorst and two other
geologists near Waigatt's Sound, to examine the fossil
plants found in the strata there, and proceeded to
Auleitsivik, arriving on the 4th of July. There Pro-
fessor Nordenskjfild, Dr. Berlin, botanist, and eight
others, left the ship, proceeded in " kajaks " up the
fiord, about eighty miles, and then attempted to pene-
trate the "inland ice,"

They proceeded over the glaciers for about eighty-
five miles with considerable difficulty, but were then
stopped by an immense accummulation of loose snow.
The exploring party stopped there, while two Finns,
who had been specially selected for the purpose,
were sent forward on snow shoes. They succeeded
in penetrating about one hundred and fifty miles
further, and then turned back, having found
nothing but ice in all directions. This is the
most successful attempt yet made to explore
the inland ice, none of the previous expeditions
having penetrated more than thirty or forty miles.
Professor Nordenskjild considers that his men had
reached half-way across the continent when they
turned back. He still considers it possible that there
may be snowless and fertile regions in the centre of
Greenland's deserts and glaciers, in spite of the nega-
tive result of this expedition. His party returned to
Auleitsivik on the 3rd of August, and waited there
till the Sophia arrived on the 16th.
The steamer, with the remainder of the explorers,
had, in the meantime, proceeded north to Cape York,
near Smith's Sound, where shenarrowly escaped being
caught in the ice. After Dr. Nett, -,rst and his com-
panions had rejoined the ship, she proceeded north-
ward along the east coast, to march for the remains of
the ancient Norse settlements, " Austur byggd."
She was prevented by ice from coming into the
land till, on the 4th inst., near Cape Dan, 65 40
deg, N, they ran in through the ice, which was
here narrow and weak, into a firth, which Professor
Nordenskjold named Oscar's Fiord, after the IC,ng of
Sweden. There they landed, and found traces of
buildings and other indications of man's occupation.
Herr Brodbeek, a German missionary in Greenland,
who accompanied the expedition as interpreter, found,
two years ago, in a firth on the east coast, not far to
the north of Cape Farewell, distinct traces of ancient
buildings, and the natives report that similar
ruins are to be found at a place called Umanok,
-63 deg. N. These ruins are supposed to be remains
of the ancient Morse and Icelandio settlements,
the " Austur byggd," and the much disputed question
as to whether these settlements were on the east or
west coast appears to be settled in favour of the former
by these discoveries. Snob at least is Professor
NordenskjOld's opinion. The further progress of the
Sophia northward was hindered by ice, fog, and rough
weather, and she left the land and steered eastward,
arriving at Reykjavik on the 9th inst.