Rasmussen
The expedition across Greenland led by Knud Rasmussen, a Dane born in Greenland, is of very special interest because it inaugurates what is intended to be a permanent system of exploring work, which at the same time undertakes the protection of the Arctic Highlanders, that most interesting tribe, quite uncontaminated by contact with civilisation when first discovered by Sir John Ross in 1818 and visited by the writer in 1850. Under modern conditions the protection of the Danish Government is much needed by these well-intentioned but simple and isolated people.
With this most laudable object Rasmussen in July 1910 formed a settlement among these people in Wolstenholme Sound, which he called “Thule.” In the following year, becoming anxious for the safety of Mikkelsen and his companion, he organised an expedition to cross Greenland with the hope of relieving them. This was the main object, discovery being secondary.
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.