The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1909-10-20

almost due northwest to Indepep-
dence Bay. az Mylius-Erichsen had
hoped to do, the trend of the coast
line suddenly turned him sharply to
the northeast, and days were spent in
rounding the great peninsula before
him. When they reached the north
west point of Greenland and rounded
1t to the west they felt sure that their
track would now be comparatively
straight to Independence Bay. But
they were mistaken, for they were
following up an indentation extending
from the sea ninety miles inland, and
to make their map complete they
traced the ford to its end and fol-
lowed the other coast back to the sea
again. This 1S0 miles of unexpected
travel practically sealed the fate of
the three men. They could not re-
turn to their most northern supply
depot before the winter night came.
AS Mylius-Erichsen and his two
companions emerged from Denmark
ford they met Lieutenant Koch and
his party. who had pushed directly
on to Peary Land across the sea ice
and had not only connected their sur
veys with Peary's at Wychoff Island,
but had also resurveyed the coast as
far north as Captain Bridgman. Koch
, and his men had done everything
they set out to do and returned to
the ship In safety.
Mylius-Erichsen and his comrades
determined to risk everything to COM
plete their survey of the mainland
I coast. They thought that in two
days more they would probably reach
Independence Bay, but after a days
march they were confronted with an
, other time-killing ford.
They named it Hagen ford. and as
their map would not be complete un-
less they surveyed the shores of this
new indentation, they laboriously fol-
lowed its coast and so lost more time.
I At last, however, they joined their
surveys with those of Peary. They
had completed the map of Greenland.
The precious survey sheets were put
in a bottle and thus we're preserved.
Then they pushed south to Dem
mark ford again; they found that
the ice had moved out of it, and as
they had no boat they were compelled
to make the weary journey around
its coasts. They killed now and then
musk OK, but for weeks and weeks
1t was constan. battle with ice and
hunger.
When they lacked all other food
dogs were killed to supply a meagre
ration for men and animals. On Oc-
tober 19 the sun disappeared beneath
the horizon, and still they stumbled
southwark in the semi-darkness.
They knew that they could not possi-
bly, reach the ship, but il they might
only reach their most northern food
depot in Amdrup Land perhaps they
could make snow huts and get
through the winter somehow.
But two of the men never reached
this goal. Hagen died on November
Is and Mylius-Erichsen ten days later
when only few miles from the food
cache. Bronlund reached 1t in the
moonlight. and when the spring
searching party this year found his
body there 1t was evident that he had
lived for several days after his ar
rival. But his strength was too far
gone for recuperation.
With trembling hand he filled sew
eral pages in his notebook with a de-
scription of their wanderings and suf-
ferings and told when his comrades
had died. 1t was impossible to dis
, cover and bury their bodies, because
the new fallen snow was very deep.
The last honors were paid to Bron-
lund and he and his companions now
lie on the. great island whose mapping
they completed.
1t was wonderfully fortunate that
the bottle containing the survey
sheets was found slung around the
neck of Bronlund. Perhaps the great
result of this exploration would never
have been known If 1t were not for
this fortunate circumstance. It IN
thought that Mylius-Erichsen prob
ably did not venture to carry his
diaries and collections over the in
land ice with him but left them in
some safe depository at Denmark
ford. where they may ultimately be
ecovered.-Boston Herald.