The sun., 1903-11-08
EAR NORTH IN THE Arctic.
The Highest Point Reached by Ship on the
East Greenland Coast.

A Norway sealing vessel reached last
summer the highest point ever attained
by \ ship on the east coast Of Greenland.
II was reported, to be sure, late in the seven
teenth century, that vessel had reached
the east coast of Greenland at point much
further north; but this story was releeated
long ago to the list Of fabulous narrative
which were often told by the skjppers of
those early days, some OF whom insisted
that they had sailed to the North Pole or
beyond it. The place where this particular
whaer said he had seen the east coast of
the great island there is every reason to
believe, is far out in the Arctic Ocean,
But last summer the Norway sealer
Union, commanded by Capt. Ole Brardal
steamed north along the cast coast from
Shannon Islard to Cape Bismarck, in 770
north latitude. about 1870 miles further nor h
than a ship had ever gone along that
coast.
The shores were Comparatively y free from
ice, though usually the foes that press
against the coast make it impossible for v's
sells to come within sight of the land. So
Capt Brandal had an easy task Of it, though
he did not reach any coast line that was rot
already known
Cape Bismarck is the highest point that
has been attained by ship in east Greenland
waters and also the rorth"rn limit Of slco g
,ournevs along that coast ho!de wey and
Payer in the famous German expedition of
1870. struggled northward by slcdge along
the east coast to Cape Bismarck, but saw
nothing equal to their magnificent dis
coyery further south, Franz Josef Ford,
! whose huge walls, wild peaks-anong them
Mount Peterlnann, the highest mountain of
Greenland-grs glaciers raging torrents
and waterfalls are among the crowning
glories of the Arctic regions.
One point north of Cape Bismarck has
been discovered, and that is Independence
| Bay, reached by Peary in his first overland
| Journey over the ice cap from the west coast.
| The stretch of shore line between Cape Bis
roarck and Independence Bay is now prac-
tically the only unknown part OF the coasts
of Greenland.
In later years the ice conditions along
| the east coast OF Greenland have been
more favorable for navigation than they
| we're known to be before The Danish
vessel which leaves Copenhagen every
| year for the new colonies founded among
f, the east coast natives at Angmassalik
| has on no occasion failed to reach her
destination.
The fact that the east coast is losing its
reputation as a part of Greenland which
cannot be reached by vessels has inspired
| some hunters with the idea that here is a
| virgin field of animal life, to which they
had better give attention. Last year
! Capt II. Elite started in the whaling vessel
| Kolibri for this northeast coast intending
to winter if possible at Cape Bismarck and
to obtain in the following spring numerous
pelts of reindeer. musk OK and Arctic fox
which would richly repay him for his enter
prise.
He started, however. so lat 2 in the season
that he did not reach the neighborhood OF
! tie coast TIL fall. when tho shores were
guarded by heavy ice and he could not ap-
proach them SO he had to turn back to
| Spitzbergen and the animal life of north
east Greenland was safe from the ruthless
| hunter for another year al least.
1t is to be hoped that the game will be
preserved as q part Of the foo1 resources o!
the scientific explorer. The ice conditions
of the past few years have been such AZ tc
encourage exploration by ship along the
| unknown part Of the coast; and it will
be surprising if in the near future the mar
of this part of Greenland is not completed
| by expeditions approaching the land from
I ,hn