The lands of silence : $b A history of Arctic and Antarctic explorationMarkham, Clements R. (Clements Robert), Sir
History
The lands of silence : $b A history of Arctic and Antarctic exploration
Markham, Clements R. (Clements Robert), Sir
Polar regions -- Discovery and exploration
Rasmussen’s expedition was a thoroughly efficient one. He was
accompanied by two Eskimos and by young Freuchen who had served with
Erichsen, a joyous comrade, a cartographer, and possessed of hardihood
and great endurance. With four sledges and 54 dogs they started from
the Clements Markham glacier, a little to the north of Whale Sound, on
the 19th of April, 1912. They soon found that tents were much better
than snow huts, and the walrus meat they took with them kept the dogs
in good condition. The highest part of Greenland on this meridian
was found to be 7300 feet. In descending into the Danmark Fjord of
Erichsen some dogs fell over precipices, but otherwise all were in good
condition. Their rate of travelling was fast, 17 journeys bringing them
to Danmark Fjord, 504 miles. Rasmussen travelled down Danmark Fjord for
72 miles, until he reached the sea, and then proceeded up another fjord
of great length, running nearly east and west. This was all Erichsen’s
ground. It was found that the coasts of the fjord were more frequented
by game and had more vegetation on the north than on the south side.
On June 17th the head of the long fjord was reached, some extensive
ice-free land was discovered, and a glacier leading to the inland ice.
Peary’s record was found by Freuchen, on a height quite at the end of
the fjord. His incomplete observations, as already stated, caused the
recording of a non-existent channel from the east to the west coast of
Greenland, and the publication of quite erroneous maps for many years.
At the end of the long fjord discovered by Erichsen, which he called
Independence Fjord, Rasmussen found a steep glacier, and on the north
side a valley full of flowers, which he named Valmuedalen, or the
valley of poppies. Here the party rested for a few days and shot
several musk oxen. The return was commenced on August 8th by ascending
the glacier with great difficulty. They still had 27 dogs; and Thule
was safely reached on September 15th, 1912. The return journey alone
covered 621 miles, the double journey 1200 miles--the finest ever
performed by dogs.
By this remarkable and well-conducted journey Rasmussen corrected the
errors on our maps and made important discoveries. It is his intention,
while guarding the interests and looking after the welfare of the
Arctic Highlanders from his station at Thule in Wolstenholme Sound, to
undertake further exploring expeditions.
In the same year Dr de Quervain, a Swiss, made a journey over the
inland ice of Greenland, much further south, from Jacobshavn in Disco
Bay, on a S.E. course to Angmagssalik on the east coast. His highest
point was 8200 feet.
KOCH
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