EINAR MIKKELSEN RETURNS

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 180, 29 July 1912, Page 5

EINAR MIKKELSEN RETURNS

TRAVELS ACROSS GREENLAND. TERRIBLE HARDSHIPS. ERICHSEWS DIARY FOUND. (Received 11.20 a.m.) COPENHAGEN, July 29. Einar Mikkelsen, the Danish explorer, and his cmpanion, Iversen, who went to North Greenland to search for the records of the late Mylius Eriehsen, have returned from their journey, alter little hope that they were still alive had been held out. They -were successful in finding the diary of Eriehsen in Denmark Firth. Erichsen discovered that Peary Channel does not run through from sea to sea behind Hazen and Halprin Lands, and also that Navy Cliff is connected with Halprinland. Mikkelsen and Iversen have arrived at Aalpsund on the Norwegian coast. Mikkelsen and Iversen suffered terrible hardships crossing the ice from Denmark Firth to Shannon Island, and most of the dogs died, and the remainder were shot for food. The Mikkelsen expedition went out in 1910 in search of the papers left by the lost explorer of Greenland, Mylius Erichsen. The party lost its vessel on the East Greenland coast, but after hair breadth escapes effected a landing. Search was continued, and the body of Brolund, one of Erichsen's eompam'on\ was found and buried. Then Mikkelsen, accompanied by Iversen, set out for Denmark Fiord, where he hoped to find the papers, intending then to return to his base at Cape York. The other members of the party returned home in August, 1910, Mikkelsen and Iversen having failed to return to the base in time, to go back to Europe with them. It was feared that the intrepid explorers had been lost, especially as they failed to make their way across to the Danish stations in Western Greenland. An expedition was to have started out in 1911 ■under Knud Rasmnssen, in the course of which it was hoped that Mikkelsen might be found, but adverse weather conditions prevented his departure. Hope was almost given up last season for the two explorers, and their return will be aaßed with delight.