The new era. (Walden, Colo.) 1906-19??, 1909-01-14


just been completely mapped. Green
land, that land of the southern name
and the bleak winds of the northern
icefields, has at last been fully out
lined. In the last number of Peter
mann's Mitteilungen, the great Ger
man geographical magazine, this new
map has been published for the first
time. The making of this new map
is the final fruits of the surveys made
by DIR. Mylius- Erickson, who lost his
life when returning from the COM
pletedr work.
The trend of the northeast coast is
very different from what geographers
had supposed. 1t had been marked on
all previous maps as probably extend
ing from about IS degrees north lati-
tude in general northwest direction
to the Independence bay of Peary. In
fact, 1t extends for about 300 miles in
a northwesterly direction till it's most
eastern point nearly touches - de-
grees west longitude from Greenwich.
About 40 years ago DIR. A. Peter
mann spread the view that Greenland
probably extended across the pole and
down the other side of the earth to
the neighborhood of Boring strait
With this idea in view he wrote the
instructions for the second German
north polar expedition under Capt.
Koldewey, who was sent out to COM
plete If possible the mapping of the
east coast.
He succeeding in reaching by a
sledge journey only N degrees north.
little beyond Cape Bismarck. We
now know that more than 1000 miles
Of tortuous coast-line stretches be-
tween his highest north and the north
ern shores of the island.
Then, in 1905, the duke of Orleans
over 100 miles to the north of Cape
Bismarck, but fog prevented him from
making a satisfactory survey of the
coast line. Meanwhile DR.. Mylius-
Erickson formed the plan of making a
complete survey of the unknown coast
of Greenland from Cape Bismarck
north till he joined his survey with
that of Peary, and thus completed the
map of the island.
n
from Copenhagen on June rs, 1906,
picked up three Greenlanders and lot
of Eskimo dogs that had been sent to
the Farce islands to meet him, touched
at Iceland pushed for IA days through
the ice of the Greenland sea, and
reached Koldewey island on August
10.
<Ia hn ho1
journey in the ice-free coastal waters
to Cape Bismarck, and in the inlet be-
hind 1t he found suitable place for
the winter quarters of his ship. The
little harbor was named Denmark
Haven. In the late summer he sledged
supplies northward to make provision
depots for the long journey of the fol-
lowing spring. and he also surveyed
the coasts both north and south of his
winter camp as long as daylight lasted.
On March 2S last year the great
sledge journey was begun. Mylius-
Erickson, Lieut.. Hagen and the Green
lander Bronlund were to, survey every
mile of the coast until their explora-
tons Joined those of Pe1ry at Inde-
pendence bay Lieut.. Koch, the artist
Bertelsen and the Greenlander Ga
brielsen were to push north of Peary
channel to complete the exploration
of the eastern edge of Peary land,
which Peary had explored as far south
as Wyckoff island.
Two detachments went along for
weeks to carry food for the survey
parties. AS it left the ship the expe-
dillon numbered ten men. ten shdges
and Sc dogs.
The lives Of the explorer and of
two Of his companions were really