,illustration3  ,old ,greenland1 as to  
its ,eastern  ,western ,parts4 ,vulgo   
,oster ,bygd  ,wester ,bygd  ,engraved  
for ,egedes ,greenland       by ,j4     
,smith1 #a ,clements ,inn1 ,strand      
,pub4 ,may #a4 #ahah by ,t4  ,j4        
,allman1 ,princes ,street1 ,hanover     
,square                                 
,a                        ,,description 
,,of ,,greenland4                       
,,by ,,hans ,,egede1                    
,,who ,,was ,a ,,missionary ,,in ,,that 
,,country                               
,,for                                   
,,twenty-,,five ,,years4                
,a ,,new ,,edition4                     
,,with ,,an                             
,,historical ,,introduction             
,,and                          ,a ,,life
 ,,of ,,the ,,author4                   
,,illustrated        ,,with ,a ,,map    
,,of ,,greenland1 ,,and ,,numerous      
,,engravings ,,on ,,wood4               
,,second ,,edition4                     
,illustration                           

,,london3                      ,,printed
 ,,for ,t4 ,,and ,j4 ,,allman1          
,,princes ,,street1 ,,hanover ,,square2 
,w4 ,h4 ,,reid1 ,,charing ,,cross2 ,,and
 ,,baldwin1 ,,cradock1 ,,and ,,joy1     
,,paternoster ,,row4                    
#ahah4     ,,contents4                  
,,page  ,,historical ,,introduction     
i  ,,life ,,of ,,the ,,author           
xciii   ,,chapter ,i4  ,of the          
,situation and ,extent of ,greenland4   
,probability of its forming ,part of    
,america                                
#a   ,,chap4 ,,ii4  ,first ,settlement  
of ,greenland1 with some ,thoughts on   
the ,extinction of the ,norwegian       
,colonies2 and whether on the ,east     
,side no ,remainders may be found of the
 old ,norwegians3 also1 whether the same
 ,tract of ,land cannot be recovered    
#g   ,,chap4 ,,iii4  ,of the ,nature of 
the ,soil1 ,plants1 and ,minerals of    
,greenland        #da   ,,chap4 ,,iv4   
,of the ,nature of the ,climate1 and the
 ,temperament of the ,air        #ej    

,,chap4 ,v4  ,of the ,land ,animals1 and
 ,land ,fowls or ,birds of ,greenland2  
and how they hunt and kill them         
#ei   ,,chap4 ,,vi4  ,of the ,greenland 
,sea ,animals1 and ,sea ,fowls and      
,fishes                                 
#ff   ,,chap4 ,,vii4  ,of the ordinary  
,occupations of the ,greenlanders1 as   
,hunting and ,fishing3 of the ,tools and
 ,instruments necessary for these       
,employments3 of their ,house           
,implements and ,utensils               
#ajj   ,,chap4 ,,viii4  ,of the         
,inhabitants1 their ,houses1 and ,house 
,furniture              #aac   ,,chap4  
,,ix4  ,of the ,persons1 ,complexion1   
and ,temperament of the ,greenlanders   
#aai   ,,chap4 ,x4  ,of the ,customs1   
,virtues1 and ,vices1 and the ,manners  
or ,way of ,life of the ,greenlanders   
#abc   ,,chap4 ,,xi4  ,of their ,habits 
and ,way of ,dressing                   
#acj  ,,chap4 ,,xii4  ,of their ,diet1  
and manner of dressing their ,victuals  
#ace   ,,chap4 ,,xiii4  ,of their       

,marriages1 and ,education of their     
,children                #adj   ,,chap4 
,,xiv4  ,how the ,greenlanders mourn and
 bury their dead ,friends               
#adc   ,,chap4 ,,xv4  ,of their         
,pastimes and ,diversions1 as also their
 ,poetry             #aed   ,,chap4     
,,xvi4  ,of their ,language             
#afc   ,,chap4 ,,xvii4  ,of the         
,greenland ,trade1 and whether in       
promoting it there is any advantage to  
be expected                             
#agi   ,,chap4 ,,xviii4  ,the ,religion1
 or rather ,superstition1 of the        
,greenlanders          #ahc   ,,chap4   
,,xix4  ,the ,astronomy of the          
,greenlanders1 or their ,thoughts       
concerning the ,sun1 ,moon1 ,stars1 and 
,planets                                
#bjf  ,,chap4 ,,xx4  ,the ,capacity of  
the ,greenlanders1 and their            
,inclination towards the ,knowledge of  
,god1 and the ,christian ,religion2 and 
by what ,means this may easily be       
brought about                  #bad     

,,historical  ,,introduction4           
,illustration  ,the regions in the      
neighbourhood of the ,north ,pole have  
lately become the objects of increased  
curiosity2 and among these regions      
,greenland has attracted a more than    
usual interest4 ,this country was first 
peopled by a colony from ,iceland1 which
 occupied both the ,western and ,eastern
 parts of the ,island4 ,the first       
settlers in the ,west appear to have    
been destroyed by the natives1 who are  
denominated ,skrellings2 and though a   
communication was preserved for several 
centuries between the ,eastern coast of 
,greenland and some parts of the ,danish
 territory1 yet it was interrupted about
 the close of the fourteenth century by 
accumulated masses of ice1 which formed 
an impenetrable barrier of considerable 
extent around the shore2 and though     
various attempts have been made1 at     
different times1 to explore a passage   
through this frozen rampart1 yet there  
is no definite account of any attempt of

 this kind which has hitherto been      
successful4 ,may we hope that the       
execution of this project1 which is     
prompted1 not only by curiosity but by  
philanthropy1 is reserved for the       
present era1 and that it will be finally
 accomplished by the nautical skill and 
enterprise of this country6  ,as we     
possess indubitable evidence that a     
considerable extent of this coast was   
formerly occupied by a flourishing      
colony1 and that it contained numerous  
villages1 with a bishop's see1 we cannot
 but be anxious to know what has been   
the fate of so many human beings1 so    
long cut off from all intercourse with  
the more civilized world4 ,were they    
destroyed by an invasion of the natives1
 like their countrymen on the ,western  
coast8 or have they perished by the     
inclemency of the climate1 and the      
sterility of the soil8 or do they still 
subsist8 ,if they subsist1 it must      
greatly interest our curiosity to learn 
in what manner they have vanquished the 

difficulties with which they have had to
 contend1 both from the climate and the 
soil1 and the total privation of all    
articles of ,european manufacture4 ,in  
the novel circumstances in which they   
have been placed1 have the present race 
advanced or declined in the degree of   
culture which their forefathers         
possessed8 ,what proficiency have they  
made8 or what deterioration have they   
undergone8 ,have they remained nearly   
stationary at the point of civilized    
existence at which their ancestors were 
placed four centuries ago8 or have they 
entirely degenerated into a savage race1
 and preserved no memory nor vestige of 
their original extraction from1 and     
subsequent communication with1 the      
continent of civilized ,europe8 ,these  
are certainly points of interesting     
research2 and to which we cannot well be
 indifferent as ,christians1 or1 indeed1
 as human beings4  ,in the mean time1   
though we cannot yet supply any         
particulars respecting the present state

 of the ,eastern coast of ,greenland1 we
 think that the readers of this new     
edition of ,egede will not be displeased
 with us for furnishing them with all   
the information which remains1          
respecting its past state1 as well as   
with some historical details1 which will
 render the present volume more complete
 than it would otherwise have been4     
,greenland was first discovered by      
,eric1 surnamed ,rufus1 or the ,red1 in 
the year #iha or #ihba4 ,this chieftain 
was of ,norwegian extraction4 ,his      
father had fled from ,norway1 and taken 
refuge in ,iceland1 in order to avoid   
the vengeance which menaced him1 on     
account of a murder which he had        
perpetrated in his native land4 ,eric   
appears to have committed in ,iceland a 
crime similar to that for which his     
father had fled from ,norway4 ,in       
endeavouring to escape the pursuit of   
justice1 ,eric accidentally discovered  
the coast which is the present object of
 our inquiry4 ,he took his departure    

from ,iceland at the port of            
,snfellzness1 which is situate in a     
,western promontory of that island4 ,he 
arrived in the vicinity of a mountain   
called ,midjokul#b2 or1 as it is        
denominated by others1 ,miklajokul4     
,peyrere interprets this1 8le grand     
glaon10 the great mountain of ice4      
,subsequent navigators gave it the name 
of ,bloeserken1 or ,blue ,smock1 and    
others of ,huidserken1 or ,white ,smock1
 according to the variations in the hue 
of the ice in different aspects and at  
different periods of the year4  ,eric   
passed the first winter after his       
departure from ,iceland in an island    
which he called after his own name1     
,ericscun1 and which ,torfus places in  
the midst of the cultivated ,eastern    
district4 ,in the following spring he   
entered one of the bays of ,eastern     
,greenland1 to which he gave the name of
 ,ericsfiord2 and where he formed his   
first settlement1 which he denominated  
,brattahlis4 ,in the summer of the same 

year he explored parts of the more      
,western district1 and gave names to    
many of the places which he visited#c4  
,he passed the following winter in the  
island of ,ericscun2 and in the         
succeeding summer he passed over to the 
main land1 and proceeded along the      
,northern coast till he reached an      
immense rock1 which he called           
,sneefiell1 or the ,rock of ,snow4 ,at  
this point he gave the name of          
,ravensfiord to another bay1 on account 
of the multitudes of that ill-omened    
bird with which this spot abounds4      
,other parts of the coast derived their 
appellations from the names of the      
different adventurers who accompanied   
,eric in this expedition1 as1           
,hergulfsness1 ,ketillsfiord1 ,solvadal1
 ,einarsfiord1 c#d4  ,in the following  
summer ,eric1 having conciliated the    
forgiveness1 or purchased the           
forbearance1 of his enemies in ,iceland1
 returned to that country to procure an 
additional supply of inhabitants for his

 new settlement4 ,in order to render his
 proposals more attractive1 he named the
 country for which he was endeavouring  
to provide colonists1 ,greenland1 as if1
 compared with the rugged sterility of  
their native ,iceland1 it was a region  
of verdure and delight4 ,he described it
 as abounding in cattle1 and as rich in 
every species of game and fish4 ,and as 
such delusive representations1 when     
assisted by the vivid eloquence of      
enthusiasm1 or the unhesitating         
assurance of effrontery1 seldom fail of 
their effect1 ,eric returned to his     
recent acquisition with numerous ships1 
and a large body of settlers1 from      
,iceland4  ,in less than twenty years   
after ,eric the ,red had begun to       
colonize ,greenland1 his son ,leiff1 who
 had made a voyage into ,norway1        
renounced his ,pagan errors1 and        
received the baptismal rite4 ,his       
conversion was owing to the example and 
the admonitions of ,king ,olave         
,tryggwine1 or ,trugguerus#e1 who had   

himself recently embraced the same      
doctrine1 and had been very successful  
in causing it to be diffused throughout 
his dominions4  ,leiff1 having passed   
the winter at the court of the ,king of 
,norway1 returned to ,greenland1 in     
company with a priest and some other    
missionaries1 whom the ,king had        
commissioned to instruct ,eric1 and the 
other settlers1 in the faith which      
,leiff had embraced4 ,on their voyage to
 ,greenland they met some mariners1 who 
were floating upon a wreck in the open  
sea4 ,these they took on board1 and     
conveyed to the new settlement4 ,eric1  
at first1 incensed with his son for     
having laid open to strangers the route 
to the new-discovered country1 turned a 
deaf ear to his ,christian admonitions4 
,but the earnestness of the son1        
seconded by the instruction of the      
missionaries1 at last prevailed over the
 insensibility of the father1 who       
submitted to the rite of baptism1 when  
the other ,greenlanders followed his    

example4  ,the ,christian doctrine1     
which had been thus introduced1 was so  
much approved1 and so generally         
received1 that churches were established
 in twelve different parts of ,east     
,greenland1 and in four of the ,western 
district4 ,torfus makes the year #ajjj  
the era of the conversion of the        
,greenland colonists to the ,christian  
faith4 ,this historian of ancient       
,greenland has also preserved a list of 
its bishops1 from the year #ajba to     
#adjf1 after which period no mention is 
made of any subsequent episcopal        
appointments2 and indeed the intercourse
 between ,greenland and the native      
region of the first settlers appears to 
have been previously discontinued4  ,a  
,danish ,chronicle1 which ,m4 ,peyrere  
had consulted1 refers the discovery of  
,greenland to a much earlier date than  
that which has been given upon the      
authority of ,torfus2 and the earlier   
date of #ggj is more likely to be true1 
if1 as ,m4 ,peyrere mentions1 there is a

 bull of ,pope ,gregory ,,iv1 in #hce1  
relative to the propagation of the      
,christian faith in the ,north of       
,europe1 in which ,iceland and          
,greenland are particularly mentioned4  
,the ,danish ,chronicle1 to which       
,peyrere appeals1 states1 that the      
,kings of ,denmark1 having been         
converted to ,christianity during the   
empire of ,louis le ,debonaire1         
,greenland had become an object of      
general attention at this period4  ,the 
,danish ,chronicle relates1 that the    
first settlers in ,greenland were       
succeeded by a numerous posterity1 who  
penetrated farther into the country1 and
 discovered1 among the rocky heights and
 icy mountains1 some fertile spots1     
which were more auspicious to pasturage 
and cultivation4 ,they followed the     
division of ,greenland which ,eric had  
established1 and called the two         
settlements in the ,east and the ,west1 
,osterbygdt and ,westerbygdt4  ,in the  
,eastern district the ,greenlanders     

erected a town1 to which they gave the  
name of ,garde1 where1 according to     
,peyrere1 who refers to the ,chronicle1 
the ,norwegians established a sort of   
emporium for the deposit and sale of    
their merchandize4 ,the town of ,garde  
became also the residence of their      
bishops2 and the church of ,st4         
,nicholas1 the patron of sailors1 which 
was built in the same town1 became the  
cathedral church of the ,greenlanders4  
,as the temporal jurisdiction in        
,greenland was subject to the kings of  
,norway1 so the spiritual power of the  
bishops was subordinate to that of the  
archbishops of ,drontheim2 and the      
bishops of ,greenland are said          
frequently to have passed over to       
,norway1 in order to consult their      
ecclesiastical superior4  ,the ,danish  
,chronicle1 which was one of the early  
documents upon which ,peyrere founded   
his narrative1 relates1 that an         
insurrection broke out in ,greenland1 in
 #abef1 when the inhabitants refused any

 longer to submit to the tributary      
exactions of ,magnus1 ,king of ,norway4 
,on this occasion1 ,eric1 ,king of      
,denmark1 at the request of ,magnus1 who
 had married his niece1 equipped a naval
 armament in order to quell the rebels1 
and restore the authority of his nephew4
 ,the ,greenland insurgents no sooner   
beheld the flag of the ,danish fleet    
approaching their coast than they were  
struck with a panic1 and sued for peace4
  ,this peace was ratified in the year  
#abfa4 ,angrim ,jonas1 who records the  
above-mentioned transaction1 gives the  
names of the three principal inhabitants
 of ,greenland1 who signed the treaty in
 ,norway4 8,declarantes10 says ,angrim1 
as quoted by ,peyrere1 8suis factum     
auspiciis ut ,groenlandi perpetuum      
tributum ,norveguo denuo jurassent40    
,under their auspices the ,greenlanders 
had been again brought to swear to pay a
 perpetual tribute to the ,norwegian4   
,in composing his account of ancient    
,greenland1 ,peyrere derived his        

principal information from an ,icelandic
 and a ,danish ,chronicle4 ,the first   
was the production of ,snorro           
,sturleson1 who was a native of         
,iceland1 and chief justiciary of that  
island in #abae4 ,we are also indebted  
to him for the compilation of the ,edda4
  ,in the ,icelandic ,chronicle         
above-mentioned1 which appears to be a  
tissue of different narratives1 one of  
the chapters is entitled1 a ,description
 of ,greenland1 which ,peyrere has      
copied into his account as literally as 
the difference of languages would admit4
 ,there is a similar description in     
,torfus 7p4 #db1 c471 with particular   
but unimportant variations4 ,both the   
accounts are founded on the authority of
 ,ivar ,bert or ,ivar ,bevius1 who had1 
for several years1 been steward or      
maitre d'hotel to the ,bishop of ,garde1
 and was one of the persons who had been
 selected by the governor to expel the  
,skrellings from the ,western province  
of ,greenland or ,westerbygdt1 which    

they had invaded and depopulated4       
,perhaps it will be best to insert this 
description of ,eastern ,greenland1     
which was the most flourishing          
settlement of the ,norwegians in this   
country1 as it is found in the narrative
 of ,peyrere1 and in the history of     
,torfus4 ,if the skill1 the             
philanthropy1 and the enterprize of some
 ,english navigators should ever obtain 
an access to this long lost settlement1 
and the passage should again become as  
safe and practicable as it was in       
ancient times1 it will be an interesting
 research to compare the present state  
of this district with the early         
accounts4  ,the most ,eastern town in   
,greenland1 says ,ivar ,bert1 as        
exhibited in the ,french version of     
,peyrere1 is called ,skagefiord#f1 where
 is an uninhabitable rock1 and farther  
out in the sea is a shoal1 which        
prevents ships from entering the bay1   
except at high water1 and it is at this 
time1 or during a violent storm1 that   

numbers of whales and of other fish     
enter the bay and are caught in         
abundance4  ,as you proceed a little    
higher towards the ,east1 there is a    
port called ,funkabadir1 from the name  
of a page or missionary of ,st4 ,olave1 
,king of ,norway1 who1 with several     
other persons1 suffered shipwreck at    
that spot#g4  ,in a still higher        
latitude1 and close to the mountains of 
ice1 or1 as ,torfus says1 8propius      
,alpes10 is an island1 named ,roansen or
 ,ranseya#h1 which1 in early times1     
appears to have been celebrated for the 
quantity of animals1 particularly of    
white bears1 which it furnished for the 
chace4 ,torfus says1 that these white   
bears were not to be hunted without     
leave of the bishop4 ,beyond this spot  
the land and ocean are said to present  
nothing but an accumulation of snow and 
ice4  ,to the ,west of ,herjolfsness is 
,kindilfiord1 or1 as ,peyrere spells it1
 ,hindelfiord1 which is described as a  
cultivated and well peopled bay4 ,upon  

the right1 as you enter the bay1 there  
is a church1 called ,krokskirk or       
,korskirk1 with a monastery consecrated 
to ,st4 ,olave and to ,st4 ,augustin1   
the domain of which extends to          
,petersvic1 where there are numerous    
habitations4 ,it also possesses the     
territory on the opposite side of the   
bay4  ,next to ,kindilfiord is          
,rumpesinfiord1 or ,rumpeyarfiord#i1 in 
an interior recess of which there is a  
convent1 dedicated to ,st4 ,olave1 which
 is proprietary of the whole district to
 the shore of the bay4 ,this bay        
contains many holms or little islands1  
the property of which the monastery     
divides with the episcopal see4         
,numerous hot springs are found in these
 islands1 of which both ,peyrere and    
,torfus say1 that they are so hot as to 
be inaccessible during the winter1 but  
that in summer the temperature is so    
much reduced1 that they become the      
resort of many persons in a diversity of
 maladies4  ,next to ,rumpesinfiord1 is 

,einarsfiord1 and between them is a     
large mansion1 named ,fos1 fit for a    
king or 8regi competens0 in the language
 of ,torfus#aj4 ,here is also a large   
church dedicated to ,st4 ,nicholas4 ,as 
you enter ,lunesfiord1 to the left1     
there is a little promontory called     
,klining2 and beyond it an arm of the   
sea1 denominated ,grantvich4 ,farther in
 the interior is a house#aa1 named      
,daller1 which belongs to the bishop's  
see4 ,the cathedral is at the end of the
 bay4 ,here is a large wood1 in which   
cattle are left to browse4  ,the whole  
of ,lunesfiord1 with the large island   
which is called ,linseya by ,torfus1    
,reyatsen by ,peyrere1 is appropriated  
to the cathedral4 ,this part abounds    
with rein deer1 which are hunted with   
the consent of the bishop4 ,the island  
of ,reyatsen contains a species of stone
 or marble1 out of which they cut bowls1
 jugs1 and different kinds of culinary  
vessels1 which possess the property of  
resisting the fire4  ,more to the ,west 

is an island named ,langent1 where there
 are eight farms#ab4 ,in the vicinity is
 ,ericsfiord2 and at the entrance of    
this arm of the sea there is an island  
called ,herrieven1 or the ,harbour of   
the ,lord1 half of which belongs to the 
bishop's see1 and the other half to the 
church1 which is called ,diurnes1 which 
is seen on entering ,ericsfiord#ac4     
,the country1 says ,peyrere1 copying the
 ,icelandic ,chronicle1 is unpeopled and
 desert between the ,osterbygdt and     
,westerbygdt2 and upon the borders of   
this desert there is a church1 called   
,strosnes1 which was formerly the       
metropolitan see1 and the residence of  
the bishops of ,greenland4 ,the         
,westerbygdt is represented as occupied 
by the ,skrellings#ad4 ,this part of the
 country is described as possessing     
horses1 oxen1 sheep1 goats1 and other   
animals1 but no human beings1 either    
,christian or ,pagan4  ,such is the     
account which is given of the ancient   
state of ,greenland by ,ivar ,bert1 the 

author of the ,chronicle1 which is      
mentioned above1 and in which1 if there 
be some inaccurate representation1 there
 is probably more truth4  ,peyrere      
remarks1 that the ,icelandic ,chronicle 
is incorrect in describing the church of
 ,strosnes as the episcopal see1 since  
that honour always belonged to the town 
of ,garde4 ,the ,danish ,chronicle1     
whilst regretting the interruption of   
the communication with ,greenland1      
assures us1 that1 if the episcopal      
residence of ,garde#ae were still       
standing and accessible1 we should find 
a great number of documents for a       
complete and authentic history of       
,greenland4  ,the ,iceland ,chronicle1  
according to ,peyrere1 gives a varying  
and inconsistent account of the         
fertility of ,greenland4 ,in one part it
 says1 that the country furnishes the   
best corn which is to be found in any   
part of the world2 and that the oaks are
 of such vast bulk1 and such stately    
growth1 that they produce acorns as     

large as apples4 ,but in another passage
 the same ,chronicle affirms1 that no   
seed of any kind1 which is sown in      
,greenland1 will grow on account of the 
cold2 and that the inhabitants are      
unacquainted with the use of bread4 ,the
 latter part of this account harmonizes 
with that of the ,danish ,chronicle1    
which affirms1 that when the country was
 first discovered by ,eric the ,red1 the
 sterility of the soil obliged him to   
subsist entirely upon fish4  ,but in the
 same ,danish ,chronicle1 which has just
 been mentioned1 we find it asserted1   
that1 after the death of ,eric1 his     
successors1 who penetrated farther into 
the country1 discovered some fertile    
spots between the mountains1 and fit    
either for pasture or tillage4 ,the     
,icelandic ,chronicle contradicts itself
 when it says1 that nothing will grow in
 ,greenland owing to the intensity of   
the cold4 ,peyrere also remarks1 that   
that part of ,greenland1 which was      
peopled by the ,norwegians1 is in the   

same latitude as ,upland1 which is the  
most fertile province in ,sweden1 and   
produces fine crops of grain4 ,and the  
,icelandic ,chronicle itself says1 in   
another place1 that the cold in         
,greenland is not so great as in        
,norway2 and very good corn is grown in 
that country4  ,greenland1 says         
,peyrere1 like other countries1 which   
are composed of plains and mountains1   
exhibits great diversities of soil1 and 
though the close approximation to the   
farthest ,north1 in many situations1    
destroys the process of vegetation1 yet 
there appear to be localities1 which are
 by no means destitute of fertility4    
,there are pastures possessing excellent
 herbage2 and amongst the animals1 which
 contribute to the subsistence of man1  
or to other uses1 we find#af sheep1     
oxen1 horses1 rein deer1 stags1 and     
hares2 and of the more savage animals1  
we find wolves1 foxes1 and an abundance 
of white and black bears4 ,the          
,icelandic ,chronicle mentions beavers  

and martens4  ,peyrere adds#ag1 that    
grey and white falcons abound more here 
than in any other part of the world4    
,the superior excellence of these birds 
caused them to be formerly sent to the  
kings of ,denmark1 who made presents of 
them to the kings and princes in the    
neighbouring countries1 when falconry   
constituted one of the amusements of the
 great4  ,the above-mentioned author1   
who wrote in the middle of the          
seventeenth century#ah1 says1 that in   
,greenland nature produces a singular   
phenomenon1 which is described as a sort
 of miracle in the ,icelandic           
,chronicle4 ,this phenomenon is no other
 than what is commonly called the       
,northern ,lights4 ,these lights are    
mentioned as appearing more particularly
 about the time of the new moon2 and    
illuminating the whole country1 as much 
as if the moon were at the full4 8,the  
light is more bright10 says ,peyrere1   
8in proportion as the night is more     
dark40  ,the ,danish ,chronicle1 which  

is quoted by ,peyrere1 relates1 that in 
the year #abga a violent hurricane from 
the ,north ,east drove a vast           
accumulation of ice upon the coast of   
,iceland1 which was covered with so many
 bears and so much wood that it led to  
the supposition1 that the territory of  
,greenland was extended more to the     
,north ,east than had been hitherto     
imagined4 ,this circumstance tempted    
some ,northern sailors to attempt the   
discovery1 but they found nothing but   
ice4 ,the kings of ,norway and ,denmark 
had long before this fitted out ships   
for the same purpose1 but without any   
more success than the ,icelanders had   
experienced4 ,the principal incitement  
to these voyages was a received opinion1
 or traditionary report1 that this      
country contained numerous veins of     
gold1 of silver1 and precious stones4   
,the ,danish ,chronicle pretends1 that  
some adventurous merchants formerly     
amassed a large treasure by these       
expeditions4 ,but regions of silver and 

gold have always been amongst the       
favourite illusions of mankind2 and the 
imagination has revelled in visionary   
mines of the precious metals1 not only  
in the ,south but in the ,north2 and    
both at the ,equator and the ,pole4  ,in
 the time of ,st4 ,olave1 ,king of      
,norway1 some sailors from ,friesland1  
incited by the thirst of gold1 are said 
to have undertaken a voyage to the      
,north ,eastern extremity of ,greenland2
 but1 instead of returning home with    
mountains of wealth1 they were happy to 
escape the fury of the winds on this    
rocky coast1 in any miserable asylum    
which they could find4  ,the ,danish    
,chronicle1 which is a mixture of truth 
and fable1 adds1 that the ,frieslanders1
 having made a landing upon the coast1  
discovered some wretched cabins just    
rising above the earth1 around which lay
 heaps of gold and silver ore4 ,each of 
the sailors helped himself to as much as
 he could carry away4 ,but1 when they   
were retreating to the shore1 in order  

to re-embark with their treasure1 they  
saw some human forms1 as ugly as devils1
 issuing out of their earthen huts1     
armed with bows and arrows1 and         
accompanied with dogs of vast size4     
,before all the sailors could reach the 
shore some of them were seized by these 
frightful archers1 who tore them limb   
from limb within sight of their         
companions4 ,the ,danish ,chronicle     
adds1 that this region is so rich that  
it is peopled only by devils4  ,peyrere 
tells us1 that one of the chapters in   
the ,icelandic ,chronicle describes the 
ancient route between ,norway and       
,greenland1 before the navigation was   
rendered impracticable by the descent of
 accumulated mountains of ice from a    
more remote point of the ,north4 ,but   
what is mentioned concerning this route 
contains nothing very definite or       
satisfactory4  ,the above-mentioned     
,icelandic ,chronicle has another       
chapter on the affairs of ,greenland1   
transcribed from an old book entitled   

,speculum ,regale4 ,this chapter        
describes some marine monsters of       
enormous dimensions1 which were formerly
 seen upon the coast of ,greenland4 ,the
 ,norwegians called the first of these  
prodigies ,haffstramb2 and speak of it  
as showing itself breast high above the 
waves4 ,it resembled the human form in  
the neck1 head1 visage1 nose1 and mouth1
 except that the head was more than     
usually elevated1 and terminating in a  
point4 ,it had wide shoulders1 at the   
end of which were two stumps of arms1   
without any hands4 ,the body tapered    
downwards1 but it was never visible     
below the middle4 ,it had a frozen look4
 ,the emersion of this phantasm above   
the waves was the signal of a hurricane4
  ,the second monster received the      
appellation of ,marguguer4 ,it resembled
 the female form as far as the middle4  
,it had large breasts and dishevelled   
hair2 its stumps of arms were terminated
 by large hands1 the fingers of which   
were united by a web like the toes of a 

goose4 ,it has been seen holding fish in
 its hands1 and putting them into its   
mouth4 ,its appearance always presaged  
some violent storm4 ,if it turned its   
eye to the sailors1 when it plunged into
 the water1 it was a sign1 that they    
would not suffer shipwreck2 but1 if it  
turned its back1 it was a sure omen1    
that they would perish in the deep4     
,the third phenomenon received the name 
of ,hafgierdinguer1 which was not       
properly a monster1 but consisted of    
three large bodies or mountains of      
water1 which the tempest impelled into  
that form2 and when1 unfortunately1 any 
ships happened to become engaged in the 
triangular surface1 which these three   
mountains formed1 there was but little  
chance of their escape4 ,this marine    
monster appears to have been engendered 
by strong currents conflicting with     
opposing winds1 which suddenly arise and
 swallow up the vessels which happen to 
be within the shock of these furious    
elements4  ,the ,danish ,history        

relates1 that in the year #acdh1 a great
 pestilence1 which was called the black 
plague1 depopulated a great part of the 
,north4 ,it carried off most of the     
sailors and merchants of ,norway and    
,denmark who were engaged in the trade  
between ,greenland and those kingdoms4  
,about this period the navigation to    
,greenland became less frequent1 and the
 traffic began to be discontinued4 ,but 
the learned ,wormius assured ,peyrere1  
that he had read in a ,danish           
manuscript1 that down to the year #adhd 
there was a company of more than forty  
sailors1 at ,bergen1 in ,norway1 who    
went every year to ,greenland and       
brought back some valuable products4    
,some ,german merchants had come to     
,bergen for the purpose of purchasing   
these products1 which the ,greenlandmen 
were not willing to dispose of2 and it  
is added1 that the ,germans1 resenting  
this disappointment1 invited the        
,greenland traders to a supper1 at which
 they put them treacherously to death4  

,but1 as ,peyrere remarks1 this account 
has not much appearance of truth2 nor is
 it probable1 that the navigation       
between ,greenland and ,norway was1 at  
this period1 so open as the above       
details would induce us to suppose4     
,those details are1 besides1 refuted by 
the following facts4  ,the revenue      
accruing from the province of ,greenland
 was1 in ancient times1 appropriated to 
the domestic expenses of the ,norwegian 
king2 and no one could go to ,greenland 
without the royal permission1 upon pain 
of death4 ,in the year #achi1 ,henry1   
,bishop of ,garde1 in ,greenland1       
embarked for ,denmark1 and was present  
at the meeting of the ,states of that   
kingdom1 which were held at ,funen in   
the reign of ,queen ,margaret1 who      
united the kingdoms of ,denmark and of  
,norway under the same crown4 ,at this  
time some ,norwegian merchants1 who had 
gone to ,greenland without leave1 were  
accused of having purloined the revenue 
which was reserved for the expenditure  

of the queen4 ,the queen showed no      
lenity towards these merchants1 and     
would have proceeded to take away their 
lives1 if they had not made oath upon   
the ,holy ,evangelists that their voyage
 to ,greenland was unpremeditated1 and  
that they were forced to that           
destination by the violence of a sudden 
storm4 ,they alleged that they had      
brought back only commodities which they
 had purchased1 and that they had not in
 the least interfered with the revenue  
belonging to the queen4 ,they were      
accordingly set at liberty2 but the     
danger which they had escaped1 and the  
more rigorous prohibitions which were   
issued1 prevented any other individuals 
from that time from attempting to carry 
on any traffic with the interdicted     
coast4  ,some time after this the queen 
herself dispatched some vessels to      
,greenland2 but of which no tidings were
 ever received2 and they must           
consequently have perished4 ,this       
disastrous expedition contributed to put

 an end to the intercourse with         
,greenland2 and the queen having her    
attention occupied by her hostilities   
with ,sweden1 lost sight of this remote 
colony1 or left it to its fate4  ,the   
,danish ,chronicle relates1 that in the 
year #adjf1 ,eskild1 ,archbishop of     
,drontheim1 wishing to exercise the same
 ecclesiastical authority over          
,greenland1 which his predecessors had  
done1 sent a prelate named ,andrew1 in  
order to succeed ,henry1 in the see of  
,garde1 if he were dead1 or to convey   
some intelligence concerning him if he  
were living4 ,nothing more was ever     
heard of ,bishop ,andrew1 after his     
embarkation for ,greenland2 nor were any
 farther tidings ever received of       
,henry1 ,bishop of ,garde4 ,after this1 
the intercourse between ,norway or      
,denmark and ,greenland1 suffered an    
interruption from that period to the    
present2 nor is there much probability  
that it will ever be renewed4  ,queen   
,margaret was succeeded1 upon the throne

 of ,denmark1 by ,erick1 of ,pomerania1 
who gave himself little trouble about a 
settlement so remote as that of         
,greenland4 ,his successor1 ,christopher
 of ,bavaria1 was employed during his   
whole reign in making war upon the      
,pomeranians4  ,the house of ,oldenburg 
began its reign in ,denmark in the year 
#addh4 ,christian1 who was the first    
sovereign of that race1 and of that     
name1 neglected his dominions in the    
,north in order to turn his attention to
 the ,south4 ,he made a pilgrimage to   
,rome1 where he obtained from the ,pope 
a grant of the country of ,ditmarsh1 and
 permission to establish an academy at  
,copenhagen4  ,christian ,i was         
succeeded by ,christian ,,ii1 who1 at   
the period of his coronation1 bound     
himself by a solemn promise to make     
every possible exertion to restore the  
intercourse between ,denmark and        
,greenland1 and to recover that         
settlement4 ,but this monarch1 instead  
of recovering what his predecessors had 

lost1 himself lost part of what they had
 possessed4 ,his tyrannical barbarities 
caused him to be expelled from ,sweden1 
which ,queen ,margaret had united with  
the ,danish and ,norwegian crown4 ,from 
,sweden ,christian ,,ii retired into    
,denmark2 but the same conduct which had
 occasioned his expulsion by the        
,swedes1 soon led to his deposition by  
the ,danes4 ,it is on this account that 
he is represented with a shivered       
sceptre amongst the ,danish kings4      
,eric ,valkandor1 who had been          
chancellor to ,christian ,,ii1 and was a
 ,danish gentleman of great and generous
 sentiments1 had been made ,archbishop  
of ,drontheim4 ,after the disgrace of   
his master1 he retired to his           
archiepiscopal see1 where he exerted    
himself with great zeal and activity in 
order to renew the communication with   
,greenland1 and to discover the fate of 
that ancient settlement4 ,this learned  
prelate made it his business to read all
 the books in which it was mentioned1 to

 examine all the merchants and mariners 
who had any knowledge of it2 and he also
 caused a chart to be formed of the     
route which was supposed to have been   
observed4 ,he was on the point of       
putting his projects in execution1 when1
 being suspected of favouring the cause 
of the deposed monarch1 he was deprived 
of his archbishoprick1 and banished from
 the ,norwegian territory4 ,the         
benevolent scheme1 which he had formed1 
was thus disconcerted2 and the hopes1   
which had been excited1 vanished in     
disappointment4 ,the good ,archbishop   
,valcandor retired to ,rome1 where he   
ended his days4  ,frederick ,i was      
succeeded by ,christian ,,iii1 who had  
an expedition fitted out for the        
discovery of the lost settlement in     
,greenland2 but this proved as abortive 
as similar attempts had previously been4
 ,this monarch now repealed the         
ordinances which his predecessors had   
established1 by which all communication 
with ,greenland had been strictly       

prohibited1 without a special permission
 from the crown4 ,the intercourse was   
now rendered free1 without any          
limitations or restraints4 ,but this act
 of royal grace came too late to be of  
any use2 for the ,norwegians at this    
period had degenerated from the         
enterprizing valour of their ancestors2 
and they were1 at the same time1 so     
impoverished that they did not possess  
the means of equipping any vessels for  
such a difficult and hazardous          
undertaking4  ,frederick ,,ii           
entertained the same project as his     
father1 ,christian ,,iii1 and he        
dispatched ,magnus ,heigningsen to      
attempt the discovery of ,greenland4    
,this ,magnus ,heigningsen1 if the      
relation be not fabulous1 actually      
discovered the long lost land1 but was  
prevented by the operation of some      
mysterious cause from reaching the      
shore4 ,his ship1 without any visible   
cause1 was stopped in its course1 though
 in the midst of deep water and a fresh 

breeze1 without any obstruction from the
 ice4 ,as this ,magnus ,heigningsen     
could not advance any farther he was    
happy to be able to retreat2 and he     
accordingly sailed back to ,denmark4    
,when he got back to that country he    
published an account of what had        
happened to his ship2 and pretended that
 its farther progress had been stopped  
by a great loadstone at the bottom of   
the sea4  ,the ,danish ,chronicle1 of   
which ,peyrere has made such liberal    
use1 gives the following account of the 
expedition of ,sir ,martin ,frobisher to
 ,greenland in #aegf4  ,frobisher set   
sail from ,england in the year just     
mentioned1 and discovered the coast of  
,new ,greenland1 but did not make any   
landing till he returned with another   
expedition in the following spring4 ,the
 inhabitants of that part of the coast  
where he disembarked1 abandoned their   
dwellings1 and fled in different        
directions at the approach of the       
,english4 ,the alarm of some of these   

natives appears to have been so great   
that they clambered up to the tops of   
some rocky precipices1 from which they  
threw themselves into the sea4  ,the    
,english1 who found it impossible to    
allay the suspicions1 or conciliate the 
confidence of these savages1 took       
possession of the huts which they had   
deserted4 ,they were1 in fact1 tents    
formed of sealskins1 stretched upon four
 poles1 and sewed together with sinews  
instead of thread4 ,all these tents had 
two entrances1 one of which fronted the 
,west1 and the other the ,south2 but    
they were closed against the winds from 
the ,east and the ,north1 by which they 
were liable to be the most incommoded4  
,the ,english discovered in these cabins
 only an ancient matron1 who appeared a 
picture of hideous deformity1 and a     
young woman1 who was in the family way1 
and had a little child holding her hand4
 ,these two last they carried off1      
regardless of the opposition of the old 
beldam1 who set up a frightful howl4    

,departing from this point1 they steered
 along the ,eastern coast1 where they   
beheld a marine monster as large as an  
ox1 with a horn projecting from the     
snout of more than two yards in length1 
which they took for the unicorn4        
,proceeding in a ,north-east direction1 
they landed on another part of the coast
 of ,greenland1 which they discovered to
 be subject to earthquakes1 that threw  
great rocks down into the plain4 ,here  
they found some gravel abounding1 as    
they imagined1 with particles of gold1  
of which they carried off a considerable
 quantity4  ,they spared no pains to    
conciliate the natives of this part of  
the coast1 who themselves made a show of
 a desire to maintain an amicable       
correspondence4 ,but these              
demonstrations of friendship appear to  
have been designed only to put the      
,english off their guard2 for1 when     
,frobisher had landed1 he was suddenly  
attacked by a body of savages1 who had  
concealed themselves behind a bank for  

that purpose4 ,he retreated to the shore
 and eluded their machinations4 ,the    
savages1 however1 still imagined that   
the strangers might be caught in the    
snare2 and in order to entrap them1 they
 scattered pieces of raw flesh along the
 shore1 as they would have done to      
allure dogs4 ,finding this attempt fail1
 they had recourse to another stratagem4
 ,they carried a lame man1 or at least  
one who feigned to be lame1 down to the 
sea-side2 and1 having left him there1   
they went away and kept themselves      
entirely out of sight4 ,they supposed   
that the ,english would make an attempt 
to carry off this lame man in order to  
serve them as an interpreter1 or to     
procure some intelligence by his means4 
,but ,frobisher1 who suspected some     
deception1 ordered a shot to be fired   
over his head1 when he instantly sprung 
up upon his legs and ran away with      
precipitate velocity4  ,the savages now 
appeared in great numbers1 and assailed 
the ,english with a shower of arrows and

 stones2 but they were soon repulsed by 
a discharge of great and small guns4    
,the native ,greenlanders are           
represented as perfidious and cruel1    
neither to be softened by caresses nor  
moved by benefits4 ,this1 however1 is   
the character of very imperfect         
knowledge and limited observation4 ,they
 are described as plump in their        
appearance1 active in their limbs1 and  
with an aspect of olive hue4 ,some of   
them are reported to be as black as     
negroes4 ,their clothes are made out of 
the skin of the seal1 and sewed with    
sinews4 ,the women wear their hair      
loose1 but throw it back behind their   
ears in order to show the face1 which   
they paint blue and yellow4 ,they wear  
no petticoats1 but short trousers made  
of fish-skin1 drawn one over the other2 
in the pockets of which they carry their
 knives1 little mirrors1 and the working
 materials1 which they procure from     
foreigners or obtain from the wrecks    
which may happen upon their coasts4 ,the

 shirts or chemises of both sexes are   
made from the intestines of fish1 and   
sewed with fine sinews4 ,they wear their
 clothes loose1 and gird them with a    
belt made of fish-skin4 ,they are       
disgustingly dirty1 and covered with    
vermin4 ,their criterion of wealth is   
the number of bows and arrows1 of       
slings1 boats1 and oars1 which an       
individual may possess4 ,their bows are 
small1 their arrows thin and armed at   
the end with a sharp point of bone or   
horn4 ,they are expert in the use of the
 bow and the sling2 and in killing fish 
with the spear4 ,their little boats are 
covered with sealskin1 and can hold only
 one man4 ,but they have larger boats   
formed of wood1 covered with the skin of
 the whale1 and which will carry twenty 
men4 ,their sails are made of the same  
materials as their shirts2 or of the    
intestines of fish fastened together by 
fine sinews4 ,and though they make use  
of no iron in the construction of their 
canoes or boats1 they are put together  

with so much skill1 and so well         
compacted1 that in them they venture out
 into the wide ocean with perfect       
security4 ,they have no venomous        
reptiles or insects2 but are sometimes  
infested with swarms of gnats4 ,they    
make use of very large dogs for the     
purpose of drawing their sledges4 ,all  
the fresh water which they possess they 
procure from the melted snow4  ,such are
 the principal particulars which are    
detailed in the ,danish account of      
,frobisher's voyage4 ,we will now       
proceed to relate some attempts of the  
,danes to renew their intercourse with  
,greenland1 subsequent to those which   
have been previously mentioned1 and     
which proved abortive4  ,christian ,,iv 
resolved1 if possible1 to signalize his 
reign by the discovery of that lost     
settlement1 which his father and        
grandfather had sought in vain4 ,for    
this purpose he sent for an experienced 
mariner from ,england1 who had the      
reputation of being well acquainted with

 the ,northern ocean1 and with the route
 to ,greenland4 ,having procured this   
skilful auxiliary1 whose name was ,john 
,knight1 the ,danish monarch equipped   
three stout ships1 which he put under   
the orders of ,godske ,lindenau1 who    
sailed from the ,sound on the breaking  
up of the ice in the year #afje4 ,the   
,englishman1 who was appointed to the   
command of one ship1 having reached the 
latitude he wished1 steered his course  
to the ,south ,west in order to avoid   
the ice and to make the land with less  
risk4 ,the ,danish admiral ,lindenau1   
thinking that the ,english captain was  
deviating from the right track by       
keeping to the ,south ,west1 continued  
his route to the ,north ,east1 and      
arrived on the coast of ,greenland      
without either of the other ships4      
,admiral ,lindenau had no sooner come to
 an anchor1 than a number of savages put
 off their boats from the shore to visit
 his ship4 ,the admiral gave them a very
 hospitable reception1 and made them a  

present of some wine1 which1 however1   
was not agreeable to their taste2 and   
they manifested signs of their dislike4 
,they saw some whale oil1 which they    
expressed a desire to have2 and it was  
accordingly poured out for them in large
 mugs1 which they drank with avidity and
 delight4  ,these savages possessed a   
number of skins of the fox1 the bear1   
and the seal1 with many horns in pieces1
 ends1 and trunks1 which they exchanged 
with the ,danes for knives1 needles1    
looking-glasses1 and trifles of         
different kinds4 ,they showed no desire 
for gold or silver money1 the offer of  
which provoked their ridicule or excited
 their contempt4 ,they manifested on the
 other hand a passionate eagerness for  
every article of steel manufacture1     
which they were willing to purchase by  
the sacrifice of their greatest         
valuables1 as of their bows and arrows1 
their boats and oars4 ,when they had    
nothing more to offer in exchange1 they 
stripped themselves to the skin1 and    

offered to make away with all the       
clothes they possessed4  ,godske        
,lindenau remained three days in the    
road1 but it is not said that he once   
went ashore4 ,he was probably afraid of 
trusting the lives of the small number  
of persons he had with him in the midst 
of such a mass of savages1 by whom they 
were so greatly outnumbered4  ,he took  
his departure upon the fourth day2 but  
before he set sail he secured two of the
 natives on board his ship in order to  
carry them to ,denmark2 but they made so
 many violent efforts to escape1 that it
 became necessary to secure them by     
cords in order to prevent them from     
plunging into the sea4 ,when the savages
 upon the beach saw two of their        
countrymen made prisoners and fastened  
to the deck of the ,danish vessel1 they 
discharged a shower of stones and arrows
 upon the ,danes1 who were obliged to   
terrify them to a distance by firing off
 one of their great guns4 ,the admiral  
returned to ,denmark by himself1 without

 knowing what had befallen the other two
 ships1 with which he had originally    
embarked4  ,the ,danish account of this 
expedition says1 that the ,english      
captain with the two ,danish vessels1   
which had separated from that under     
,lindenau1 reached the coast at the     
,southern extremity of ,greenland1 or   
,cape ,farewell4 ,it is also certain    
that the ,english commander entered     
,davis's ,straits1 and coasted along the
 shore to the ,east4 ,he discovered a   
number of good harbours1 a fine country1
 and verdant plains4 ,the savages in    
this part of ,greenland carried on some 
traffic with him2 as those upon the     
other side had done with ,lindenau2 but 
they exhibited more distrust2 for they  
had no sooner received the ,danish      
commodities in exchange for their own   
than they took to their boats with as   
much precipitation as if they were      
pursued by an enemy4  ,the ,danes armed 
themselves for the purpose of making a  
landing in one of the bays4 ,the soil1  

where they went ashore1 appeared to be a
 mixture of sand and rock1 like that of 
,norway4 ,some fumes exhaled from the   
earth made them suppose that there were 
mines of sulphur in the neighbourhood2  
and they found many pieces of silver    
ore1 which yielded twenty-six ounces of 
silver to the hundred weight of ore4    
,the ,english captain1 who discovered   
many fine harbours or bays along this   
coast1 gave them ,danish names1 and     
before his departure made a chart of    
what he had seen4 ,he also directed four
 of the best formed savages1 whom the   
,danes could seize1 to be conveyed on   
board his ship4 ,one of these four      
natives became so outrageous1 that the  
,danes1 not being able to haul him      
along1 knocked him on the head with the 
but end of their muskets4 ,this         
intimidated the three others1 who       
followed without farther resistance4    
,but the natives of the place1 who had  
beheld one of their companions put to   
death1 and three made prisoners1 united 

themselves in a body to avenge the one  
and to rescue the others4 ,they pursued 
the ,danes to the shore in order to     
execute these resolutions1 and to       
prevent their embarkation4 ,the ,danes1 
however1 saved themselves and their     
boats by a timely use of their          
fire-arms1 which diffused great terror  
among the enemy4 ,they now made good    
their retreat to their ships1 and       
returned to ,denmark with the three     
captured ,greenlanders1 whom they       
presented to the king1 and who were     
found to be much better made and more   
civilized than those whom ,godske       
,lindenau had imported4 ,they also      
differed in manners1 language1 and      
dress4  ,the ,danish monarch1 who was   
gratified by the result of this first   
expedition1 dispatched the same ,admiral
 ,lindenau to ,greenland with five stout
 vessels in the following year1 #afjf4  
,he departed from the ,sound upon the   
#hth of ,may2 having on board his ship  
the three savages whom the ,english     

captain had conveyed away1 in order to  
serve as interpreters and guides4 ,one  
of these savages fell sick and died     
during the voyage2 and his body was     
thrown overboard4 ,godske ,lindenau took
 the same route which the ,english      
captain had observed1 and passed by     
,cape ,farewell into ,davis's ,straits4 
,one of his five ships was lost sight of
 in a fog2 but the four others arrived  
in ,greenland4 ,the natives showed      
themselves in great numbers upon the    
coast1 but manifested no inclination to 
trade1 or to trust the ,danes1 who1 in  
their turn1 showed the same want of     
confidence4 ,this obliged the latter to 
proceed higher up the coast1 where they 
discovered a finer harbour than that    
which they had left2 but they found the 
natives as suspicious and intractable as
 at the former station1 and indicating a
 determination to resort to force if the
 ,danes attempted to land4  ,the ,danes1
 not willing to hazard a landing in such
 inauspicious circumstances1 sailed to a

 greater distance4 ,as they proceeded   
along the coast1 they met some of the   
natives in their canoes4 ,they surprised
 six of these at different times1 and   
took them on board along with their     
canoes and little equipments4  ,the     
,danes1 having afterwards cast anchor in
 a third bay1 one of the attendants of  
,godske ,lindenau1 who was a hardy and  
enterprising veteran1 solicited the     
permission of his master to proceed     
alone to the shore1 in order to         
reconnoitre the land1 and1 if possible1 
to establish some intercourse with the  
savages4 ,but this unfortunate valet had
 no sooner set his foot upon the beach  
than he was seized1 stabbed1 and hacked 
in pieces by the natives2 who1 after    
this atrocity1 retired out of the reach 
of the ,danish guns4  ,these savages had
 knives and swords made of the horns or 
teeth of that fish which they call      
unicorn1 and which they ground to an    
edge upon a stone2 nor were they less   
sharp than if they had been made of iron

 or steel4  ,godske ,lindenau1 not      
finding it practicable to establish any 
amicable communication with the people  
of this district1 set sail for ,denmark2
 but of the six ,greenlanders whom he   
had recently forced on board1 one was   
pierced with such regret at the thought 
of never more seeing his native home1   
that he threw himself into the ocean in 
a paroxysm of despair4 ,upon their      
return the ,danes had the pleasure of   
rejoining the fifth ship1 which had     
disappeared in a fog2 but they had been 
only five days together when they were  
all separated by a storm2 and a month   
elapsed before they could re-unite when 
the tempest had passed away4 ,they      
arrived at ,copenhagen upon the #eth of 
the following ,october1 after having    
experienced many awful perils and       
hairbreadth escapes4  ,the ,king of     
,denmark1 who deserves praise for his   
perseverance1 now determined upon a     
third expedition to ,greenland4 ,he     
accordingly ordered two large ships to  

be fitted out1 which he placed under the
 command of a ,captain ,karsten         
,richkardisen1 a native of ,holstein1   
whom he furnished with some sailors from
 ,norway and ,iceland that were         
acquainted with the navigation4 ,these  
vessels sailed from the ,sound on the   
#abth of ,may1 but the ,danish          
,chronicle has not stated in what year2 
nor was it known to ,peyrere4 ,on the   
#hth of ,june ,richkardisen discovered  
the high points of the ,greenland       
mountains2 but he was prevented from    
landing by the rocks of ice which ran   
out far into the sea and rendered the   
coast inaccessible4 ,he was therefore   
obliged to return without accomplishing 
the object of his voyage1 as he         
despaired of being able to penetrate the
 icy barrier which blockaded the shore4 
,no similar attempt has hitherto been   
successful2 and the ,eastern coast of   
,greenland1 though for several centuries
 well known to1 and habitually visited  
by1 the ,norwegians and ,danes1 is1 at  

present1 a terra incognita1             
notwithstanding the spirit of ,european 
adventure and the zeal of modern        
discovery4  ,the ,king of ,denmark      
caused particular attention to be paid  
to the three savages who had survived   
the preceding1 and the five who had been
 imported by the last expedition to     
,greenland4 ,they were fed upon milk1   
butter1 and cheese1 as well as upon raw 
flesh and raw fish1 to which they had   
been accustomed at home4 ,they appeared 
to have an invincible repugnance to our 
baked bread and dressed meat2 nor did   
they relish any kind of wine so much as 
the oil and grease of the whale4 ,they  
often turned a wishful and desponding   
look to the ,north2 and sighed so       
anxiously to return to the place of     
their nativity1 that1 whenever they were
 watched with less vigilance than usual1
 those who had an opportunity seized any
 boat that was at hand and put to sea1  
regardless of the dangers they had to   
encounter4 ,a storm once overtook some  

of these intrepid adventurers at ten or 
twelve leagues from the ,sound1 and     
forced them back to the coast of        
,schonen1 where they were made prisoners
 by the peasantry and conveyed back to  
,copenhagen4 ,this caused them to be    
guarded with more rigour1 and kept under
 greater restraint4 ,but three of them  
fell sick and died of grief4  ,five of  
these savages were alive and well when a
 ,spanish ,ambassador made his          
appearance in ,denmark2 and the ,danish 
,monarch1 in order to divert this       
stranger1 caused these native           
,greenlanders to exhibit their manuvres 
in their little canoes upon the sea4    
,the ,spanish ,ambassador was quite     
delighted with the address which they   
displayed1 and with the extraordinary   
celerity with which they glided over the
 waves4 ,he made a present in money to  
each of the savages1 which they expended
 in equipping themselves in the ,danish 
fashion4 ,they were accordingly seen    
booted and spurred1 with large feathers 

in their hats2 and in these habiliments 
they proposed to serve in the cavalry of
 the ,danish ,king4  ,but these high    
spirits of the ,greenlanders lasted only
 for a short time2 for they soon        
relapsed into their usual melancholy4   
,they became entirely absorbed with the 
idea of returning to their native       
country2 and two of them having obtained
 possession of their little boats put   
out to sea4 ,they were pursued1 but only
 one of them was taken1 and the other   
probably perished in the waves2 for it  
cannot be supposed that he ever returned
 to the land of his fathers4 ,with      
respect to one of the savages1 it was   
remarked1 that he shed tears whenever he
 beheld a child at the breast2 from     
which it was supposed1 that he had left 
a wife and children at home4  ,of these 
surviving savages two pined away with   
regret4 ,the two others lived ten or    
twelve years in ,denmark after the      
decease of their companions4 ,no pains  
were spared to reconcile them to their  

condition1 but without success4 ,one of 
them died of an illness1 brought on by  
being employed in diving for the pearl  
muscle1 during the depth of winter4 ,his
 companion1 who was inconsolable for his
 loss1 again seized a boat and made an  
effort to escape from captivity4 ,he had
 passed the ,sound before he could be   
retaken1 but he lived only a short time 
after this last attempt to recover his  
liberty4  ,peyrere says1 that an attempt
 was made to convert these savages to   
the ,christian faith1 but that they     
could never be brought to learn the     
,danish language2 and he remarks1 with  
much simplicity1 that 8la foi estant de 
l'oye1 il fut impossible de leur faire  
comprendre nos mysteres40 8,faith10 says
 he1 8coming from hearing1 it was       
impossible to make them comprehend our  
mysteries40 ,he adds1 that those who    
narrowly watched their actions often saw
 them lift up their eyes to ,heaven1 and
 worship the ,sun4  ,the ,danish        
,monarch desisted from any farther      

attempt to discover ,old ,greenland2 but
 some merchants at ,copenhagen formed   
themselves into a ,greenland ,company1  
for the purpose of establishing a       
traffic with that part of the world4 ,in
 #afcf this ,company fitted out two     
ships1 which visited that part of the   
coast of ,new ,greenland which is washed
 by ,davis's ,straits4 ,when they cast  
anchor1 eight savages came off to them  
in their little canoes4 ,the ,danes had 
displayed their knives1 mirrors1 and    
other articles upon the deck1 to which  
the savages had also conveyed their     
furs1 skins1 and fish horns2 but a gun  
having been inconsiderately fired1 in   
order to celebrate the drinking of some 
particular health1 these native traders 
were so frightened that they instantly  
leaped into the sea1 from which they did
 not emerge till they had proceeded to  
two or three hundred yards from the     
ship4  ,the ,danes at last succeeded in 
appeasing the apprehensions of the      
,greenlanders1 and in alluring them     

again on board their vessels4 ,the      
,danish commander having remarked an    
inlet of the coast where there was a    
bank of sand1 which bore a strong       
resemblance to gold1 his cupidity made  
him imagine1 that he had discovered a   
mine of wealth4 ,he lost no time in     
filling his ship with this fancied gold 
dust1 and made the best of his way to   
,denmark1 exulting in dreams of         
visionary opulence4  ,but the master of 
the ,greenland ,company1 who was less   
credulous than the captain of the       
expedition1 having caused this precious 
sand to be examined by the goldsmiths at
 ,copenhagen1 they were not able to     
extract from the whole mass a single    
particle of gold4 ,the captain was      
accordingly ordered1 to his great       
mortification1 to throw the whole of    
this valuable lading into the sea4  ,in 
this last expedition to ,greenland the  
,danes secured and carried off two of   
the natives before they left the coast4 
,when they had reached the open sea1 the

 ,danes released these captives from    
their bonds1 when1 finding themselves   
free from restraint1 the love of liberty
 prevailed over every other sentiment1  
and they plunged into the waves in order
 to regain their native shore4 ,but that
 shore was too remote for them to reach1
 and they perished in the vain attempt4 
,it is pleasant to contemplate that     
sentiment1 which attaches us to our     
native land1 operating alike in all     
regions and climes1 and attaching the   
human being to a country of almost      
invincible sterility and perpetual      
frost1 as well as to one where there are
 the richest products and the most      
genial seasons4  ,in the year #afed a   
ship was sent to ,greenland1 under the  
command of ,david ,nelles1 the success  
of which terminated in carrying off     
three native women from the open part of
 the ,eastern coast4 ,the last voyage1  
which was not more successful than the  
preceding1 was made in the year #afgj4  
,this expedition was fitted out by order

 of ,christian ,v1 and was commanded by 
,captain ,otto ,axelson2 but ,crantz#ai 
says1 8,we have no account of its       
issue20 and1 according to ,torfus1      
,axelson never returned to tell what he 
had seen4  ,none of the expeditions     
which have sailed from ,denmark1 or     
other countries1 have been successful in
 recovering the knowledge of that part  
of the ,eastern coast which was peopled 
by settlers from ,iceland and ,norway1  
and is denominated ,old ,greenland4 ,in 
the account which the ,icelandic        
,chronicle gives of the ancient route1  
it is stated1 that half way between     
,iceland and ,greenland there was a     
cluster of little islands1 or rocks1    
called ,gondebiurne ,skeer1 which were  
inhabited by bears4 ,the drifting ice   
has probably collected round these      
islands1 and been so petrified by       
successive accumulations as to become   
impenetrable to the sun4  ,peyrere1     
whose account of ,greenland has been    
generally followed in this              

,introduction1 tells us1 that he was    
once inclined to believe1 that ,godske  
,lindenau had actually reached the coast
 of ,old ,greenland in his first voyage1
 and that the savages whom he carried   
off were descendants of the first       
,norwegian settlers1 whose remains have 
been so anxiously sought4 ,but this     
impression was effaced by the           
information of many persons who had seen
 these savages at ,copenhagen1 and who  
assured him1 that they had not the      
smallest resemblance to the ,danes or   
,norwegians in their language and       
manners1 and that the ,danes and        
,norwegians could not understand a word 
that these native ,greenlanders uttered4
  ,in the expedition to ,greenland1     
which was undertaken in the year #afcf1 
the natives upon the western coast1 who 
had some traffic with the ,danes1 were  
asked1 whether there were any           
inhabitants like themselves beyond the  
mountains which were seen in the        
distance4 ,the savages replied by signs1

 that there were more people beyond the 
mountains than there were hairs on their
 heads2 and that they were men of large 
stature1 with great bows and arrows1 who
 destroyed every body that came in their
 way4  ,the knowledge which the ,danes  
have at any period acquired respecting  
the people or the products of           
,greenland1 never extended beyond a     
narrow slip of territory along the      
coast4 ,they knew nothing of the remote 
interior of the country from actual     
observation2 and their settlements      
occupied only a very small comparative  
portion of the whole4 ,much is still    
left to be explored2 but the nature of  
the country itself opposes such an      
accumulation of obstacles to the        
research of the traveller1 that they are
 not soon likely to be overcome4 ,more1 
however1 of the coast will probably soon
 be discovered than has ever previously 
been explored2 or1 if explored1 it has  
at least been concealed for many        
centuries4 ,when the enterprizing spirit

 of an ,english navigator is directed to
 that quarter of the world1 we feel a   
firm confidence1 that nothing will be   
left untried1 which skill or courage can
 effect1 to extend our acquaintance with
 these ,northern regions1 and to make   
valuable additions to our present stock 
of information respecting the countries 
in the more immediate vicinity of the   
,north ,pole4     ,,sketch  ,,of ,,the  
,,life ,,of ,,hans ,,egede4   ,the      
,author of the present ,volume was born 
in ,denmark1 on the #cast of ,january1  
in the year #afhf4 ,he was educated for 
the ,christian ministry1 and became     
pastor to a congregation at ,vogen1 in  
,norway1 and appears for some time to   
have exercised the same functions at    
,drontheim1 in that kingdom4 ,in an     
early period of his ministry he was     
seized with a strong desire of making   
himself acquainted with the fate of the 
,norwegian families who had formerly    
been settled in ,greenland1 and of whom 
no intelligence had been received for   

several centuries4 ,all the inquiries   
which he could make led to the          
conclusion1 that that part of the coast 
where these settlements had formerly    
existed had been rendered inaccessible  
by the ice2 and that the ancient        
settlers had been destroyed either by   
the effects of the climate or the       
hostility of the natives4 ,but these    
unfavourable representations did not    
repress the ardour of ,egede to embark  
in this perilous undertaking2 and either
 to discover the old ,norwegian         
settlements1 or to form a new one1 and  
to devote his life to the instruction of
 the barbarous and uncivilized          
,greenlanders in the salutary truths of 
the ,christian doctrine4  ,he was a man 
of warm temperament1 and mingled with   
such a portion of enthusiasm as does not
 readily suffer its exertions to be     
relaxed by difficulties1 or the hopes   
which it has conceived to be            
extinguished by inauspicious            
circumstances4 ,for many years he       

attempted in vain to interest the       
,danish government in the furtherance of
 the scheme which he had conceived4 ,his
 memorials were disregarded1 and his    
proposals were considered as visionary  
and impracticable4 ,but at last         
,frederick ,,iv1 ,king of ,denmark1     
issued an order to the magistrates at   
,bergen to make inquiries of all the    
masters of vessels and traders1 who had 
been in ,davis's ,straits1 concerning   
the state of the traffic with           
,greenland2 and1 at the same time1 to   
learn their opinion about forming a new 
settlement upon that coast4 ,but the    
answer which they returned was not at   
all favourable to the wishes of our     
author1 and the project seemed never    
likely to be accomplished4  ,after more 
ineffectual attempts1 his perseverance  
at last triumphed over every obstacle2  
and he persuaded some merchants and     
others to subscribe some small sums1 out
 of which he collected a capital of     
about #bjjjl4 ,of this inconsiderable   

sum he himself had furnished about      
#fjl41 which constituted his little all4
 ,with these slender means1 which seemed
 totally inadequate to the undertaking1 
a ship was purchased1 called the ,hope1 
in which ,egede was to be conveyed to   
,greenland1 and to lay the foundation of
 the meditated establishment4 ,but1 in  
the spring of #agba1 the ,danish        
monarch1 who had been brought to think  
more favourably of the expedition1      
appointed ,mr4 ,egede to be pastor of   
the new colony1 and missionary to the   
,heathen1 with a pension of #fjl4 a     
year1 and #djl4 for his immediate       
exigencies4  ,egede embarked for        
,greenland1 with his wife and four small
 children1 upon the #abth of ,may1      
#agba2 and he landed in ,ball's ,river1 
in the #fdth degree of ,north latitude1 
upon the #c;d of ,july1 in the same     
year4 ,the company on board the ship    
consisted of forty persons4 ,they lost  
no time in building a house of stone and
 earth1 upon an island near ,kangek1    

which they called ,haabets ,oe1 or ,hope
 ,island1 after the name of the ship in 
which they had made the voyage4  ,the   
conduct of ,egede as a missionary       
deserves the highest praise4 ,he        
conciliated the confidence of the       
natives1 ministered to their wants1     
learned their language1 and gradually   
introduced some additional rays of      
intellectual light into their minds4    
8,as soon10 says ,crantz1 vol4 i4 p4    
#bhf1 8as he new the word kina1 i4 e4   
what is this8 he asked the name of every
 thing that presented itself to the     
senses1 and wrote it down40 ,but his    
children1 by continually conversing with
 the children of the natives1 learned   
the language1 particularly the          
pronunciation1 with much more facility  
than himself2 and he was enabled to make
 considerable use of their proficiency  
in the vernacular tongue of the country1
 in promoting the purposes of his       
mission4  ,upon the death of ,frederick 
,,iv1 and the accession of ,christian   

,,vi1 the ,danish government1           
dissatisfied with the expense which the 
settlement in ,greenland had occasioned1
 and the faint prospect which appeared  
of any adequate remuneration from the   
trade with that country1 issued1 in     
#agca1 a mandate for the relinquishment 
of the colony1 and the return of the    
settlers4 ,but this zealous missionary  
resolved not to abandon the good work   
which he had begun2 and though most of  
the settlers left the coast in the ship 
which had been sent to conduct them     
home1 he remained behind with ten seamen
 whom he had persuaded to adopt the same
 determination4 ,the ,danish monarch1   
either sympathising with his constancy1 
or moved by his entreaties1 assisted him
 with some supplies in the following    
year2 and in the year #agcc he was      
cheered by the assurance that the       
mission should be more effectually      
supported1 and the trade with ,greenland
 more vigorously prosecuted than it had 
hitherto been4  ,when the advanced age1 

or rather the growing infirmities of    
,egede1 which had been increased by the 
corporeal toils he had undergone1 and   
the mental solicitudes he had           
experienced1 no longer permitted him to 
continue his former occupation1 his     
eldest son ,paul became his successor in
 the mission4 ,after an abode of fifteen
 years in this sterile region and       
inclement climate1 he returned to       
,copenhagen in the year #agcf4 ,though  
he had relinquished the mission1 he was 
not inattentive to its interests2 for he
 devoted much of his time1 after his    
return1 to the instruction of young     
missionaries in the language of         
,greenland4 ,he also composed a grammar 
and a dictionary of that language1 into 
which he translated the ,new ,testament 
for the use of the mission and the      
benefit of the natives4 ,he published   
the ,description of ,greenland1 which is
 contained in the present ,volume1 at   
,copenhagen1 in the ,danish language1   
the year preceding his death1 which took

 place in #agehbj4     ,a  ,,description
  ,,of  ,,greenland3   ,showing  ,,the  
,,natural ,,history1 ,,situation1       
,,boundaries1 ,,and ,,face ,,of ,,the   
,,country2 ,,the ,,nature ,,of ,,the    
,,soil2 ,,the ,,rise ,,and ,,progress   
,,of ,,the ,,old ,,norwegian ,,colonies2
 ,,the ,,ancient ,,and ,,modern         
,,inhabitants2 ,,their ,,genius ,,and   
,,way ,,of ,,life1 ,,and ,,produce ,,of 
,,the ,,soil2 ,,their ,,plants1         
,,beasts1 ,,fishes1 ,c4   ,,by ,,hans   
,,egede1  ,,missionary ,,in ,,that      
,,country ,,for ,,twenty-,,five ,,years4
   ,,translated ,,from ,,the ,,danish4  
,,to  ,,his ,,most ,,serene ,,royal     
,,highness  ,,frederick1  ,,hereditary  
,,prince1 ,,successor ,,to ,,the ,,crown
 ,,of ,,denmark ,,and ,,norway4    ,,may
 ,,it ,,please ,,your ,,most ,,serene   
,,royal ,,highness1  ,as ,i took the    
freedom most humbly to address to the   
,king your ,royal ,father an account of 
the ,greenland ,mission's beginning and 
propagation1 which his ,majesty with so 

glorious a zeal protects and encourages2
 so likewise1 with the same most humble 
submission1 ,i presume to offer to your 
most ,serene ,royal ,highness this      
present survey or ,natural ,history of  
,greenland2 endeavouring by this means  
to insinuate and recommend to your      
,royal ,highness's favour and protection
 so pious an undertaking2 because the   
poor ,greenlanders have a right to claim
 your protection1 as well as the        
kingdoms of ,denmark and ,norway1 and   
are in hopes of enjoying1 one day1 the  
greatest blessings under your happy     
reign4  ,this little ,work cannot fail  
of a gracious reception from your ,royal
 ,highness1 as it aims only at1 and is  
calculated for1 the honour of ,god and  
your ,royal ,family's exaltation2 the   
last of which wholly depends on and     
necessarily follows the first2 for when 
the poor ,greenlanders shall have       
learned to know and worship ,god as     
their ,creator and ,redeemer1 then they 
will likewise learn to acknowledge and  

honour a ,christian ,sovereign as their 
king and ruler1 through whose most      
,christian care and beneficence they    
have been brought to the knowledge of   
,salvation4  ,may the ,kingdom of ,god  
daily increase1 and be spread far and   
wide1 under the government of your      
,royal ,house4 ,may the word of ,god run
 swiftly under the sway of its sceptre1 
as it doth in the ,east1 so also now in 
the coldest ,north4  ,that it may please
 ,almighty ,god to make your ,royal     
,highness's name as the name of the     
great and mighty ones upon ,earth2 that 
he may establish and powerfully support 
the ,royal ,hereditary ,throne1 and     
place you as a blessing before his face 
to all eternity1 are the hearty wishes  
and prayers of                          
,your ,serene ,royal ,highness's        
most obedient1                          
most humble1                            
and most devoted                        
,subject and ,servant1                  
,,hans ,,egede4  ,copenhagen1 ,july #bj1

 #agda4     ,,preface4  ,illustration   
,a friend of mine1 who lived some time  
in ,greenland1 published 7unknown to me7
 some years ago1 a ,description of      
,greenland1 under the title of ,a ,new  
,survey of ,old ,greenland1 which1 not  
long after my arrival in those parts1 ,i
 had sketched1 to satisfy some of my    
friends1 according to the knowledge ,i  
then had acquired2 but having since that
 time got a fuller light in these       
matters1 partly by my own observations  
and partly by those of my ,son ,paul    
,egede1 who has been four years         
missionary in the ,north ,west colony of
 ,greenland1 ,i have found it necessary 
to perfect and enlarge this little ,work
 in embryo1 under the same title that it
 made its first appearance1 with some   
useful ,additions1 and with a new       
contrived ,map of the country1 that the 
reader may the better comprehend what he
 finds in this ,sketch4  ,though        
,greenland be a country of a vast       
extent1 yet it affords but a narrow     

field for any observation or remarks of 
consequence2 there being no strong or   
well built towns to meet with2 no well  
ordered polity or civil government2 no  
fine arts and sciences1 or the like2 but
 only a number of mean1 wretched1 and   
ignorant ,gentiles1 who live and improve
 the land according to their low        
capacity4  ,i must own1 that ,greenland1
 in its present state and condition1    
compared with other countries1 is but   
very mean and poor1 though not yet so   
despicable and wretched but it may1     
using care and industry1 not only richly
 maintain its own inhabitants1 but also 
communicate to others out of the        
remainder of its products4  ,as for the 
land in itself1 it yields little or     
nothing1 not being manured or           
cultivated1 but lies altogether waste   
and untilled2 nevertheless the ancient  
histories and accounts1 yet extant1 of  
the land1 make it appear1 that it is not
 unfit for several products2 and        
therefore ,i do not question but it     

might retrieve the loss of its former   
plenty and fruitfulness1 should it come 
to be well settled again1 and           
cultivated4 ,but as to the seas1 they   
yield more plenty and wealth of all     
sorts of animals and fishes than in most
 other parts of the world1 which may    
turn to very great profit2 witness the  
exceeding great riches many nations have
 gathered1 and are still gathering1 from
 the whale fishery1 and the capture of  
seals and morses1 or sea horses4  ,thus 
it is confessed1 that ,greenland is a   
country not unworthy of keeping and     
improving4 ,and this has been the well  
grounded opinion of our late monarchs of
 ,denmark1 and many of their chief      
counsellors1 who have made so much of   
,greenland1 that they have spared no    
costs in fitting out several ships for  
its discovery1 of which hereafter       
farther notice shall be taken4 ,this    
discovery has been chiefly undertaken to
 the end1 that the ,christian religion1 
which has been unfortunately worn out in

 these parts of the world1 might again  
be re-established1 and the poor         
inhabitants1 viz4 the offspring of the  
old ,northern ,christians1 if through   
,god's mercy any such may yet be found  
there1 as true subjects to ,denmark and 
,norway1 might be assisted and comforted
 both as to body and soul4 ,and although
 these most laudable endeavours of those
 glorious monarchs1 of pious and blessed
 memory1 have not had all the success   
one could desire1 yet they have opened  
the way for fresh attempts of the same  
nature1 which 7,god be thanked7 have not
 been lost1 inasmuch as the ,western    
coast of ,greenland 7by the ,danes      
called ,westerbygd7 not only has been   
fully discovered1 but also several new  
lodges have been there erected1 and the 
holy word of ,god has been preached1    
with ,god's blessing1 to these ignorant 
,heathens1 that dwell in those places   
where ,christianity has been quite      
extinct and forgot4 ,all this ought to  
encourage us to continue our endeavours 

to discover the ,eastern shore1 where it
 is confessed the chief colony has been 
seated2 and perhaps the offspring of the
 old ,norwegians and ,icelanders may be 
recovered2 which ,i do not think        
impossible1 provided we go on in the    
right way1 as ,i hope to show in the    
following treatise4  ,how praiseworthy  
and glorious an enterprize would it be1 
to undertake so great and wholesome a   
work1 chiefly in regard to these unhappy
 people1 who1 by a just judgment of     
,god1 now for upwards of three hundred  
years1 have been debarred all           
communication with ,christians2 which to
 remedy not only our civil but          
,christian duty obliges us4 ,it becomes 
us therefore heartily to pray ,god      
,almighty1 that he will be pleased to   
appease his wrath kindled against these 
poor wretches1 and to disclose to our   
most gracious sovereign1 and to other   
well intentioned ,christians1 the best  
way and means to this country's         
discovery and happy restitution4 ,and   

though we should fail of success1 in    
still meeting with the aforesaid        
offspring of the old ,norwegian and     
,iceland ,christians1 who1 for aught we 
know1 may be all extinct and destroyed1 
as we found it on the ,west coast2 yet1 
for all that1 ,i should not think all   
our labour lost1 nor our costs made to  
no purpose1 as long as it may be for the
 good and advantage of those ignorant   
,heathens1 that live there2 to whom we  
have reason to hope our most gracious   
sovereign will also extend his fatherly 
clemency1 and ,christian zeal1 to       
provide for their eternal happiness1 as 
he so graciously has done for those on  
the ,western shore2 seeing that by these
 means the old ruined places might anew 
be provided with colonies and           
inhabitants1 which would prove no small 
advantage to the king and his dominions4
 ,this my well meant project1 that ,god 
in his mercy will advance and promote1  
to the honour of his most ,holy ,name1  
and the enlightening and saving of these

 poor souls1 is the sincere desire of   
,,hans ,,egede4     ,,the  ,,natural    
,,history  ,,of  ,greenland4            
,,chapter ,i4  ,illustration  ,of the   
,situation and ,extent of ,greenland4   
,greenland lies but forty miles to the  
,west of ,iceland1 beginning from #ei   
#ej ,north ,latitude4 ,the ,eastern     
coast extends itself in the ,north as   
far as ,spitzbergen1 between #gh and    
#hj2 which is thought to be an island1  
separated from the continent of         
,greenland4 ,the ,western shore is      
discovered as far as seventy odd        
degrees4 ,whether it be a large island1 
or borders upon countries to the ,north1
 is not yet found out2 there seems great
 reason to believe it is contiguous to  
,america on the ,north ,west side2      
because there we meet with the bay or   
inlet1 which in the sea charts is called
 ,davis's ,straits1 from an ,englishman1
 who in the year #aehe was the first    
discoverer of it2 and is yearly         
frequented by ships of different        

nations1 on account of the ,whale       
,fishery3 but nobody as yet has been    
able to find out the bottom of it4 ,and 
according to the notice we have         
endeavoured to gather from those        
,greenlanders who live farthest to the  
,north1 there is either but a very      
narrow passage between ,america and     
,greenland1 or1 as is most likely1 they 
are quite contiguous#ba3 and ,i am the  
more inclined to believe this1 because  
the farther you go ,northward in the    
said ,strait1 the lower is the land2    
contrary to what we observe where it    
borders on the seas or main ocean1 it   
never wants lofty promontories4 ,it has 
been the commonly received opinion1 of a
 long standing1 that ,greenland borders 
upon the ,asiatic ,tartary and ,muscovia
 on the ,north ,east3 what confirms them
 in this notion is an old story they    
give credit to1 that a certain ,harrald 
goat did travel by land1 over mountains 
and rocks1 from ,greenland to ,norway1  
bringing along with him a she goat1 of  

whose milk he lived on the journey2 by  
which he got the surname of ,harrald    
goat4 ,furthermore1 the ancient         
,greenland ,christians1 in their        
,chronicles1 relate1 that there were    
come to them from the ,northern parts1  
foreign rein deer and sheep1 marked upon
 the ears1 and with some marks tied to  
their horns2 from which they concluded1 
that the ,northern parts of ,greenland  
were also inhabited4--,vid4 ,theodore   
,torlaccius4 ,but the contrary is proved
 by later experiments made by the       
navigation of ,dutchmen and others to   
the ,north4--,see ,zordrager's          
,greenland ,fishery1 ,part ii1 ch4 #aj4 
,greenland is a high and rocky country1 
always covered with ice and snow 7except
 on the sea side1 and in the bays or    
inlets7 which never thaws nor melts     
away4 ,you may judge of the height by   
the prospect they yield at more than    
twenty ,norway miles distance from the  
shore4 ,the whole coast is surrounded   
with a vast number of large and small   

islands4 ,there are a great many inlets 
and large rivers to be met with1 among  
which the principal is called ,baal's   
,river1 in #fd1 and has been navigated  
eighteen or twenty ,norway miles up the 
country2 where the first ,danish lodge  
was settled in the year #agba4 ,in all  
sea charts you will find laid down      
,frobisher's ,strait and ,baer ,sound   
which they pretend1 form two large      
islands1 adjacent to the main land2     
which ,i think are not to be found1 at  
least not upon the coast of ,greenland2 
for ,i could not meet with any thing    
like it in the voyage ,i undertook in   
the year #agbc ,southward1 going upon   
discoveries2 though ,i went as far as to
 #fj that way3 but at present the newer 
charts lay them down1 the ,northern     
strait in #fc1 and the ,southern in #fb4
 ,some of the ancients1 whom ,thormoder 
follows in his ,greenland ,history1     
place them between #fa and #fj4 ,so that
 the charts differ mightily in this     
particular4 ,besides this1 there is not 

a word or a syllable mentioned in our   
ancient records of ,greenland of the    
aforesaid two straits and large islands3
 they only inform us1 that after the old
 ,norwegians and ,icelanders had began  
to settle colonies on the ,east side of 
,greenland1 over against ,iceland1 they 
continued to spread themselves all along
 the shore and in the bays1 as far as   
,baal's ,river1 where they stopped1 and 
where we find many ruins of the old     
,norwegian edifices4 ,and whereas ,i    
myself have lately met with so many     
stone buildings1 so far to the ,south1  
,i think my conclusion is good1 that the
 land upon which these houses stand is  
no particular island1 but contiguous to 
the main4 ,it is therefore very         
reasonable to believe1 that whereas the 
ancients took notice of1 and so         
accurately described1 all those bays and
 islands that were inhabited1 they would
 not have passed by in silence these two
 large islands upon which such stately  
buildings were erected4 ,and for this   

reason ,i have hereto joined a new map  
or delineation of ,greenland1 to show   
the contiguity of the ,east and ,west   
,greenland1 agreeably to other new      
charts of ,thormoder and others1 which  
,i follow1 as far as ,i find them not   
contradictory to the description of the 
ancients and to my own experience4      
,,chap4 ,,ii4       ,first ,settlement  
of ,greenland1 with some ,thoughts on   
the      ,extinction of the ,norwegian  
,colonies2 and whether on the ,east     
,side      no ,remainders may be found  
of the old ,norwegians3 also1 whether   
the      same ,tract of ,land cannot be 
recovered4   ,it is undoubted that the  
ancients1 not so much driven by any     
necessity or compulsion as led by a     
natural and inbred curiosity1 embarked  
upon many strange ventures2 as for      
instance1 to discover and settle        
colonies in so many formerly quite      
unknown and uninhabited countries1 to   
whose discovery what particular         
accidents have most contributed we learn

 by the several histories and           
descriptions thereof4 ,for the ,almighty
 and good ,god1 who has not in vain     
created the vast globe of the ,earth1   
has also not intended1 that any part or 
province of it should lie buried in     
eternal oblivion1 useless to mankind4   
,and that ,greenland by such means has  
been discovered and inhabited by our old
 ,norwegians and ,icelanders1 we are    
fully informed by the annals of         
,iceland2 where we read1 that the brave 
and valiant ,erick ,raude 7or red7 who  
was the first discoverer of this        
country1 after he1 in company with      
several other ,icelanders1 in the year  
of our ,lord #ihb1 by mere casualty fell
 in with the land1 and had taken a      
survey of its present state1 he returned
 to ,iceland the next year1 #ihc1 spoke 
much in commendation of the land1       
calling it the ,greenland1 by which he  
persuaded many of his countrymen to     
follow him thither1 in order to find out
 places fit for dwelling1 and to settle 

there#bb4 ,they no sooner were arrived  
and settled here1 but they found ,god   
was come along with them2 ,i mean the   
saving knowledge of his most holy ,word4
 ,for the said ,erick ,raude's son1     
called ,leif1 after he had been         
instructed in the ,gospel truths by     
,king ,olaf 7who was the first          
,christian king of ,norway71 brought    
along with him from ,norway to          
,greenland a priest1 who taught and     
christened all the inhabitants of the   
country4 ,thus this country has first   
been settled by ,norway and ,iceland    
colonies1 which1 in after-times1 have   
increased and been provided with many   
churches and convents1 bishops and      
teachers2 which lasted as long as the   
correspondence and navigation continued 
between them and ,norway1 until the year
 #adjf1 when the last bishop was sent   
over to ,greenland4 ,yet the ,norwegians
 were not the original natives of the   
land2 for1 not long after their arrival1
 they met with the old inhabitants1 a   

savage people dwelling on the ,western  
shore1 originally descended from the    
,americans1 as may with great           
probability be gathered from the        
agreement of their persons1 customs1 and
 habits with those who dwell to the     
,north of ,hudson's ,bay2 as likewise   
while those1 that inhabited the         
,northern parts 7now known by the name  
of ,davis's ,straits71 advanced nearer  
and nearer to the ,south1 and often made
 war upon the ,norwegians4 ,concerning  
the cause of the ruin and total         
destruction of that so well established 
,norwegian colony there is nothing found
 upon record2 the reason of which ,i    
think to be1 that after all             
correspondence and navigation ceased    
between ,greenland and ,norway1 partly  
by the change and translation of the    
government in ,queen ,margaret's reign1 
and partly by the next following        
continual wars between the ,danes and   
,swedes1 which caused the navigation to 
those parts to be laid aside1 and       

chiefly by the great difficulty and     
innumerable dangers of such navigation2 
which several causes cut off all        
intelligence1 that might be had of that 
country's state1 as may be seen in      
,pontanus and ,claudius ,lyscander4     
,the ancient historians divide          
,greenland into two parts or districts1 
called ,west ,bygd1 and ,east ,bygd4 ,as
 to the ,west district1 which is said to
 have contained four parishes1 and one  
hundred villages1 all we find in the    
ancient histories amounts to this1 viz4 
that in the fourteenth century it was   
sorely infested by a wild nation called 
,schrellings1 and laid so waste1 that   
when the inhabitants of the ,eastern    
district came to the assistance of the  
,christians1 and to expel the barbarous 
nation of the ,schrellings1 who were    
fallen upon the ,christians1 they found 
to their great astonishment the province
 quite emptied of its inhabitants1 and  
nothing remaining but some cattle and   
flocks of sheep1 straying wild and      

unguarded round about the fields and    
meadows2 whereof they killed a good     
number1 which they brought home with    
them in their ships4 ,by which it       
appears1 that the ,norway ,christians in
 the ,western district were destroyed1  
and ,christianity rooted out by the     
savage ,heathens4 ,the modern           
inhabitants of ,west ,greenland1 being1 
no doubt1 the offspring of the before   
mentioned wild and barbarous            
,schrellings1 have no certain account to
 give us of this matter2 though they    
will tell you1 that the old decayed     
dwelling places and villages1 whose     
ruins are yet seen1 were inhabited      
formerly by a nation quite different    
from theirs2 and they also affirm1 what 
the ancient histories tell us1 that     
their ancestors made war with them1 and 
destroyed them#bc4  ,now1 as to the     
,eastern district1 its present state is 
entirely unknown to us1 as there is no  
approaching it with any shipping1 upon  
account of the vast quantity of ice1    

driven from ,spitzbergen and other      
,northern coasts upon this shore1 which1
 adhering to the shore1 barricades the  
land1 and renders it wholly             
inaccessible4 ,we may nevertheless      
gather from the above-mentioned         
expedition of the ,east ,greenlanders   
against the ,schrellingers1 that after  
the destruction and total overthrow of  
the ,western district and its colonies1 
the ,eastern were yet standing and      
flourishing4 ,but in what year this     
happened no notice is taken by the old  
historians4 ,nevertheless1 from many    
tokens and remainders of probable       
evidence it may be inferred1 that the   
old colony of the ,eastern district is  
not yet quite extinct4 ,to the          
confirmation of which1 ,thormoder1 in   
his ,history of ,greenland1 alledges the
 following passage3--  ,bishop ,amand1  
of ,shalholt in ,iceland 7who1 anno     
#aebb1 had been consecrated1 but1 anno  
#aedj1 again resigned71 once returning  
from ,norway to ,iceland1 was by a storm

 driven ,westward upon the coast of     
,greenland1 which he coasted for some   
time ,northwards1 and made land towards 
the evening1 finding themselves off     
,herjolsness4 ,they came so near to the 
shore1 that they could descry the       
inhabitants driving their flocks in the 
pasture grounds3 but as the wind soon   
after proved fair they made all the sail
 they could1 steering for ,iceland1     
which they reached the day following1   
and entered the ,bay of ,st4 ,patrick1  
which lies on the ,west coast of the    
island1 in the morning early1 when they 
were milking their cows4  ,birn of      
,skarsaa 7as we learn by the aforesaid  
,thormoder ,torfager7 gives the         
following relation3--  8,in our time10  
says he1 8one named ,john ,greenlander1 
who for a considerable time had been    
employed in the service of the ,hamburgh
 merchants1 in a voyage from thence to  
,iceland1 met with contrary winds and   
stormy weather1 in which he narrowly    
escaped being cast away1 and lost with  

ship and crew upon the dreadful rocks of
 ,greenland1 by getting in at last to a 
fine bay1 which contained many islands1 
where he happily came to an anchor under
 a desert island2 and it was not long   
before he spied several other islands   
not far off1 that were inhabited2 which1
 for fear of the inhabitants1 he for a  
while did not dare to approach2 till at 
last he took courage1 and sending his   
boat on shore1 went to the next house1  
which seemed but very small and mean4   
,here he found all the accoutrements    
necessary to fit out a fishing boat2 he 
saw also a fishing booth1 or small hut1 
made up of stones1 to dry fish in1 as is
 customary in ,iceland4 ,there lay a    
dead body of a man extended upon the    
ground with his face downwards2 a cap   
sewed together on his head2 the rest of 
his clothing was made partly of coarse  
cloth1 and partly of seal skin2 an old  
rusty knife was found at his side1 which
 the captain took1 in order to show it  
to his friends at his return home to    

,iceland1 to serve for a token of what  
he had seen4 ,it is farther said1 that  
this commander was three times by stress
 of weather driven upon the coasts of   
,greenland1 by which he obtained the    
surname of ,greenlander40  ,this        
relation can be of no more than a       
hundred years standing1 as ,theodore    
,torlack affirms3 because the above     
mentioned annals1 in which we read it1  
were composed by ,biorno of ,skarsaa    
within these thirty years4  ,the same   
author furthermore informs us1 that in  
,iceland there has often been found1    
scattered here and there on the sea     
shore1 old broken pieces of deal boards1
 parts of the ribs of boats1 which on   
the side were tacked together1 and      
pasted with a sort of pitch or glue made
 of the blubber of seals4 ,now it is    
admitted1 that this kind of glue is     
nowhere made use of but in ,greenland2  
and a boat of this make was in the year 
#afbe found thrown up1 upon a point of  
land near ,reiche ,strand1 the structure

 of which was very artificial1 joined   
together with wooden nails1 not unlike  
that in which ,asmund ,kastenrazius1 in 
the year #aahi1 in company with twelve  
men1 crossed over from ,greenland to    
,iceland2 which boat was likewise tacked
 together with wooden nails1 and the    
sinews of animals4 ,the same historian1 
in his book ,de ,novitiis ,groenlandorum
 ,indiciis1 tell us1 that some years    
ago1 they found an oar upon the ,eastern
 shore of ,iceland1 whereon these words 
were carved in ,runick characters3 ,oft 
var ek dascedar ek dro dik1 which       
signifies1 8,often was ,i tired1 when ,i
 carried thee40 ,besides this1 ,i find a
 relation in a ,german writer1 whose    
name is ,dithmarus ,blefkenius1         
concerning a certain monk1 born in      
,greenland1 who1 as companion to the    
bishop of the place1 in the year #aedf  
made a voyage into ,norway1 where he    
lived until the year #aefd1 and where1  
the author says1 he got acquainted and  
personally conversed with him4 ,this    

monk told him many strange and          
surprising things of a ,dominican       
convent in ,greenland1 called ,st4      
,thomas's ,convent2 to which his parents
 sent him in his youth to become a monk 
of that order4 ,but the truth of this   
relation is very much questioned1 being1
 together with several others of        
,blefkenius's relations1 refuted and    
gainsaid by ,arngrim1 in his ,treatise1 
entitled ,anatome ,blefkeniana4         
,blefkenius's relation is nevertheless  
confirmed by several other authors4     
,erasmus ,franciscus1 in his book called
 ,east and ,west ,india ,state ,garden1 
in a place where he treats of ,greenland
 tells us1 that a captain of a ,danish  
ship1 by name ,jacob ,hall1 being       
ordered by the ,king his master to      
undertake a voyage to ,greenland1 he    
touched first at ,iceland1 where he from
 the ,king's lieutenant got intelligence
 of ,greenland1 which before was unknown
 to him4 ,and that he might the more    
fully be informed of every thing        

relating to this matter1 a certain monk 
was sent for to instruct him herein1 who
 was said to be a native of ,greenland2 
of whom the said ,jacob ,hall1 in his   
short description1 gives the following  
account1 according to our               
above-mentioned author1 ,erasmus        
,fransciscus4       8,there has formerly
 been a convent in ,iceland1 called     
,helgafield1      or ,holy ,mountain1 in
 which1 though it was decayed1 lived a  
certain      friar1 native of           
,greenland1 with a broad and tawny face4
 ,this friar      was sent for by the   
,king's lieutenant1 in the presence of  
,jacob      ,hall1 who wanted to be     
informed of the state of ,greenland4    
,the      friar accordingly told him1   
that being very young1 he was entered   
into this convent by his parents2 and   
that he afterwards was      commanded by
 the same bishop1 of whom he had        
received the holy      orders1 to go    
along with him from thence to ,norway1  
where he      submitted himself to the  

bishop of ,drontheim1 to whose authority
      and jurisdiction all the priests  
of ,iceland were subject2 and being     
returned to his native home1 he again   
retired and shut himself up      in his 
former convent4 ,this is said to have   
happened in the year      #aedf4 ,he    
said moreover1 that in the convent of   
,st4 ,thomas1 where he      also had    
passed some time1 there was a well of   
burning hot water1      which1 through  
pipes1 was conveyed into all the rooms  
and cells of      the convent to warm   
them40  ,but ,i think there is as much  
reason to question the authenticity of  
this relation as of the former1 inasmuch
 as there is no such thing to be found  
in our ,danish archives or annals4      
,notwithstanding which1 what concerns   
,st4 ,thomas's convent in particular is 
confessed1 and confirmed by the old     
histories of ,greenland4 ,nicolas       
,zenetur1 a ,venetian by birth1 who     
served the ,king of ,denmark in the     
quality of a sea captain1 is said by    

chance to have been driven upon the     
coast of ,greenland in the year #achj2  
and to have seen that same ,dominican   
convent4 ,his relation is alledged by   
,kircherus in the following words3--    
8,here is also a ,dominican convent to  
be seen1 dedicated to ,st4      ,thomas1
 in whose neighbourhood there is a      
volcano of a mountain      that vomits  
fire1 and at the foot thereof a well of 
burning hot      water4 ,this hot water 
is not only conveyed by pipes into the  
convent1 and through all the cells of   
the friars to keep them warm1      as   
with us the rooms are heated by stoves  
of wood fire or other      fuel2 but    
here they also boil and bake their meat 
and bread with      the same4 ,this     
volcano1 or fiery mountain1 throws out  
such a      quantity of pumice stone1   
that it hath furnished materials for the
      construction of the whole convent4
 ,there are also fine gardens1          
which reap great benefit from this hot  
water1 adorned with all      sorts of   

flowers1 and full of fruit4 ,and after  
the river has      watered these        
gardens1 it empties itself into the     
adjoining bay1      which causes it     
never to freeze1 and great numbers of   
fish and sea      fowl flock thither1   
which yields plentiful provision for the
      nourishment of the inhabitants40  
,of all the attested relations1 that of 
,biorno of ,skarsaa1 concerning ,bishop 
,amund of ,skalholt1 who was driven upon
 the coast of ,greenland1 deserves most 
to be credited2 by which we learn1 that 
the colony of the ,eastern district     
flourished about one hundred and fifty  
years after the commerce and navigation 
ceased between ,norway and ,greenland2  
and1 for aught we know1 is not yet      
wholly destitute of its old ,norwegian  
inhabitants4 ,we have not been able to  
get any account of this matter from the 
modern ,greenlanders1 as they entertain 
no correspondence with those parts3     
either being hindered by the ice1 which 
renders them altogether inaccessible2 or

 else for fear the inhabitants of that  
country might kill and devour them2 for 
they represent them as a cruel1         
barbarous1 and inhuman nation1 that     
destroy and eat all foreigners that fall
 into their hands4 ,yet notwithstanding 
this1 if we may believe the relation of 
those adventurers1 who have coasted a   
great part of the ,eastern shore1 there 
is no other sort of inhabitants found on
 this than on the ,western side4 ,but   
how it comes to pass1 that the ,eastern 
district1 which was so well settled with
 ,norway and ,iceland colonies1 that it 
contained twelve large parishes1 and one
 hundred and ninety villages1 besides   
one bishop's see and two convents1 and  
flourished till the year #aedj1 at last 
has been destroyed and laid waste1 is   
what ,i cannot conceive4 ,the opinion of
 some1 that the black plague1 so called1
 which ravaged the ,northern countries  
in the year #acdh1 also reached         
,greenland1 and made its havock among   
its ,eastern colonies1 is without any   

ground or reason2 because the commerce  
was carried into ,greenland until the   
year #adjf2 and in #aedj that colony was
 still subsisting4 ,if therefore this   
district be destitute or bereft of its  
old inhabitants1 it is not unlikely they
 have undergone the same fatality as the
 ,western ones1 being destroyed by the  
barbarity of the savage ,schrellingers4 
,a whole century passed from the        
cessation of all commerce and navigation
 between ,norway and ,greenland1 till   
new adventurers began to apply          
themselves to the discovery of the      
,eastern district4 ,the first of those  
who took this affair to heart was ,erick
 ,walkendorff1 archbishop of ,drontheim1
 who was resolved1 at his own charge1 to
 fit out ships for this purpose1 but was
 stopped in this pious design by ,king  
,christian the ,second1 whose disgrace  
he had incurred4 ,the next was ,king    
,frederick the ,first1 whose mind1 as it
 is reported1 was bent upon the said    
expedition1 but it was never put in     

execution4 ,christian the ,third 7as    
,lyscander relates7 sent several ships  
with the same design1 but without making
 any discovery4 ,frederick the ,second  
succeeded his royal father1 as well in  
the government as in his good design    
about ,greenland2 on which errand he    
sent ,mogens ,heinson1 a renowned seaman
 in those days4 ,this adventurer1 after 
he had gone through many difficulties   
and dangers of storms and ice1 got sight
 of the land1 but could not approach it2
 whereupon he returned home again1 and  
pretended1 that he might have got on    
shore1 if his ship had not been stopped 
in the midst of its course1 by some     
loadstone rocks hidden in the sea1 so   
that he could not proceed though he had 
a very favourable and strong gale of    
wind1 and no ice to hinder him3 which   
frightened him and made him sail back   
again to ,denmark4 ,but the true        
loadstone rocks1 in my opinion1 was the 
terrible fright he was in of not getting
 safe through the dreadful ice          

mountains1 which threatened him1 or else
 the strong current1 which always runs  
along the states promontory with such   
violence and rapidity1 that it often    
stops a ship under full sail1 so that   
the ship can make but little or no way  
at all against it4 ,the cause by others 
assigned for this strange effect1 the   
fish ,remora1 which the ,northlanders   
call ,kracken1 is nothing but a fabulous
 story of the too credulous ancients1   
and labours under no less absurdities   
than the former opinion1 that rocks of  
loadstone1 laying on the bottom of the  
sea1 can stay the course of a ship that 
sails on the surface of it4  ,in the    
same year that ,mogens ,heinson went    
upon the ,greenland discovery1 the      
,english histories inform us1 that      
,captain ,martin ,frobisher1 an         
,englishman1 was by the glorious ,queen 
,elizabeth sent upon the same errand4   
,this adventurer got sight of the land1 
but being partly hindered by the ice1   
which adhered to it1 and partly by the  

shortness of the winter days 7for it was
 late in the year71 he could not        
approach it1 and so returned to ,england
 again4 ,next year in the spring1 he    
went upon the same expedition with three
 ships4 ,after having gone through many 
great dangers of the ice and storms1 he 
at length reached the shore1 where he   
found a wild and savage nation2 who1    
when they saw the ,english coming to    
them1 being frightened1 left their huts1
 and ran away to hide themselves4 ,some 
from the highest rocks threw themselves 
into the sea2 whereupon the ,english    
entered their huts1 where they met with 
nobody but an old woman1 and a young    
one1 who was pregnant1 and those they   
carried away with them4 ,it is also     
reported1 that they here found some sand
 which contained particles of gold and  
silver1 of which they filled three      
hundred tuns1 and brought it home with  
them to ,england4 ,as to this gold and  
silver sand1 ,i cannot help questioning 
whether they found any such on the      

,greenland shore1 inasmuch as ,sir      
,martin1 in the same strain1 relates    
wonderful things of the politeness and  
civility of a nation that dwelt in those
 parts2 of which he says1 they were     
governed by a prince1 whom they called  
,kakiunge2 and carried him in state on  
their shoulders1 clothed in rich stutfs1
 and adorned with gold and precious     
stones1 which does not at all agree with
 the meanness and coarseness of         
,greenland and its inhabitants2 but     
rather seems to belong to the rich      
kingdoms of ,peru and ,mexico1 where    
gold and silver abounds2 and from whence
 he may have brought the above-mentioned
 gold and silver sand4  ,but ,i think it
 high time to leave such uncertain      
relations to their worth2 and turn our  
thoughts towards the pious endeavours of
 our most gracious sovereigns the ,kings
 of ,denmark to discover and recover    
,greenland again4 ,an we find1 that     
after the expeditions of ,frederick the 
,second1 ,christian the ,fourth1 his    

successor1 with great cost1 ordered four
 different expeditions for this         
discovery4 ,the first was undertaken1   
under the command of ,godske ,lindenow1 
with three ships4 ,and1 as the history  
tells1 ,lindenow with his ship arrived  
upon the ,east coast of ,greenland      
7which ,i hardly can believe71 and found
 none but wild1 uncivilised people      
there1 like those ,frobisher is said    
first to have met with4 ,he staid there 
three days1 during which time the wild  
,greenlanders came to trade with him2   
changing all sorts of furs and skins    
with pieces of precious horns1 against  
all kinds of small trifling iron ware1  
as knives1 scissars1 needles1 common    
looking glasses1 and other such trifles4
 ,when he set sail from thence1 there   
were two ,greenlanders remaining in the 
ship1 whom he carried off1 and brought  
them home along with him3 these as they 
made all their endeavour to get away    
from him1 and sometimes would have      
jumped into the sea1 they were obliged  

to tie and secure them2 which1 when     
their countrymen observed1 who flocked  
together upon the shore1 they made a    
hideous outcry and howling1 flung       
stones1 and shot their arrows at the    
sailors1 upon which they from the ship  
fired a gun1 which frightened and       
dispersed them2 and so the ship left    
them4 ,the two other ships1 that set    
sail in company and under the command of
 ,lindenow1 after they had doubled ,cape
 ,farewell1 steered directly for the    
,strait of ,davis2 in which navigation  
they discovered many fine harbours and  
delightful green meadow lands1 but all  
the inhabitants along the coast wild and
 savage as before4 ,it is pretended     
also1 that they in some places found    
stones1 which contained some silver ore1
 which they took along with them2 of    
which one hundred pounds yielded        
twenty-six ounces of silver4 7,here     
again ,i cannot forbear questioning1    
whether this silver ore has been found  
on the ,greenland shore1 or rather over 

against it on the ,american coast47     
,these two ships also brought four      
savages home with them to ,copenhagen4  
,the second expedition was made by order
 of the same ,king in the year #afjf1   
with five ships under the conduct of the
 before-mentioned ,admiral ,lindenow2   
bringing along with them three of the   
savages 7one of them dying in the       
voyage7 which they had carried off the  
year before from ,greenland4 ,but this  
time he directed his course to the      
,westward of ,cape ,farewell1 standing  
for the ,straits of ,davis2 where he1   
coasting along1 took the survey of      
several places1 and then returned home  
again4  ,the third and last expedition  
of this glorious ,king was only of two  
ships1 commanded by ,captain ,carsten   
,richards1 a ,holstenian by birth2 he   
spied the land and its high and craggy  
rocks afar off1 but could not come near 
it on account of the ice2 and so1 after 
he had lost his labour he returned home4
  ,the fourth expedition of ,king       

,christian the ,fourth1 under the       
conduct of ,captain ,jens ,munck1 in the
 year #afaf1 was not made for the       
discovering of ,greenland but to find   
out a passage between ,greenland and    
,america to ,china2 the misfortunes of  
which expedition are related by the said
 commander4  ,there was1 besides these  
four expeditions at the ,king's cost1 a 
fifth undertaken1 in the same ,king's   
reign1 by a company settled in          
,copenhagen in the year #afcf1 of which 
company the president was the lord high 
chancellor1 ,christian ,friis1 as       
,lyscander informs us4 ,two ships fitted
 out by this company1 directing their   
course to the ,westward of ,greenland1  
fell in with the ,straits of ,davis1    
where they traded for a while with the  
savages2 but this was not the main      
concern of the commander1 who was       
acquainted with a coast1 whose sand had 
the colour and weight of gold1 which he 
accordingly did not miss1 and filled    
both their ships with the same4 ,after  

their return to ,copenhagen1 the        
goldsmiths were ordered to make a trial1
 whether this sand would yield any gold 
or not2 who1 not being skilful enough to
 make such a trial1 condemned it to be  
all thrown overboard1 which was done by 
order of the high chancellor1 president 
of the company4 ,some part of the said  
sand was yet kept out of curiosity1 out 
of which an artificer1 who afterwards   
came to ,copenhagen1 did extract a good 
deal of pure gold4 ,the honest and      
well-meaning commander1 who went upon   
this adventure1 was turned out of       
favour1 and died of grief soon after2   
whereby1 not only the treasure they had 
brought home1 but also the knowledge of 
the place where it was to be found1 was 
entirely lost1 as he kept this a secret 
to himself4  ,in the year #afed1 during 
the reign of ,king ,frederick the       
,third1 a noble and wealthy adventurer1 
by name ,henry ,muller1 fitted out a    
ship for ,greenland1 under the command  
of ,david de ,nelles1 who arrived safe  

in ,greenland1 and brought from thence  
three women1 whose names were ,kunelik1 
,kabelau1 and ,sigokou2 who1 according  
to the opinion of ,bishop ,torlais1 who 
had perused the said captain's journal1 
were taken in the neighbourhood of      
,herjolsness1 on the ,eastern shore1 as 
,thormoder ,torfus pretends2 but which  
,i cannot be made to believe4 ,my       
opinion is1 they were brought from the  
,western shore1 near ,baal's ,river1 as 
some of the inhabitants1 who are still  
living1 had in fresh remembrance1       
telling me their names1 as they are laid
 down in the fore-mentioned ,journal4   
,the last adventurer1 that was sent upon
 the discovery of ,greenland1 according 
to ,torfus in his ,history of           
,greenland1 was ,captain ,otto ,axelson1
 in the year #afgj1 in the reign of     
,christian ,v of glorious memory4 ,but  
what success this adventurer met with he
 leaves us to guess4 ,nevertheless we   
find1 in a manuscript description of    
,greenland1 written by ,arngrim         

,vidalin1 ,part iii1 chap4 #a1 that his 
said majesty did invite1 and with great 
privileges encourage ,mr4 ,george       
,tormhlen1 counsellor of commerce at    
,bergen1 to fit out ships for the said  
discovery2 whereupon the said counsellor
 not only got ready shipping well stored
 for such an expedition1 but also got   
together a number of passengers1 who    
resolved to go and settle in those      
parts1 whom he provided with all things 
necessary for that purpose2 both        
provision and ammunition1 as well as    
houses made of timber1 ready to be      
erected in that country4 ,but this great
 design miscarried1 the ship being taken
 by the ,french and brought into        
,dunkirk4  ,thus1 for a long while1 it  
seemed1 that all thought of ,greenland  
was laid aside until the year #agba2    
when after many well-meant invitations1 
and projects proposed by me to the      
,greenland company at ,bergen in        
,norway1 approved and authorised by his 
late majesty ,frederick ,,iv of glorious

 memory1 the company thereupon resolved 
not only to send ships1 but also to     
settle a colony in ,greenland in #fd2   
when ,i went over with my whole family  
and remained there fifteen years4       
,during my stay ,i endeavoured to get   
all the intelligence that could be      
procured both by sea and land of the    
present state of the country1 and did   
not lose my labour2 for ,i found some   
places that formerly were inhabited by  
the old ,norwegians1 on the ,western    
shore4 ,which expedition ,i have lately 
treated of in another treatise1 and set 
out in all its circumstances1 and with  
all the difficulties it has laboured    
under2 wherefore ,i think it need not be
 here repeated4  ,but whereas my main   
drift and endeavour has been all along  
chiefly to discover the ,eastern        
district of ,greenland1 which always was
 reckoned the best of our ancient       
colonies1 accordingly ,i received from  
the above mentioned ,greenland company  
at ,bergen a letter1 in the year #agbc1 

in which ,i was told1 that it was his   
majesty's pleasure1 that the ,east      
district might likewise be visited and  
discovered4 ,which the better to        
effectuate1 ,i took the resolution to   
make this voyage in person2 and         
accordingly ,i coasted it ,southwards1  
as far as to the ,states ,promontory1   
looking out for the ,strait of          
,frobisher1 which would have been my    
shortest way1 according to those charts1
 which lay the said strait down in this 
place2 but such a strait ,i could not   
find4 ,now as it grew too late in the   
year for me to proceed farther1 the     
month of ,september being nearly at an  
end1 when the winter season begins in   
those parts1 accompanied by dreadful    
storms1 ,i was obliged to return4  ,in  
the year #agbd the directors of the said
 ,bergen company1 according to his      
majesty's good will and pleasure1 fitted
 out a ship to attempt a landing on the 
,eastern shore1 as had been formerly    
practised on that coast which lies      

opposite to ,iceland4 ,but the          
surprising quantity of ice1 which       
barricadoed the coast1 made that        
enterprise prove abortive and quite     
miscarry1 as many others had done4 ,as  
there was no appearance for ships to    
approach this shore1 the same king1 in  
the year #agbh1 resolved1 besides other 
very considerable expenses1 to have     
horses transported to this colony1 in   
hopes1 that with their help they might  
travel by land to this ,eastern         
district3 but nothing was more          
impossible than this1 project1 on       
account of the impracticable1 high1 and 
craggy mountains perpetually covered    
with ice and snow1 which never thaws4   
,another new attempt by sea was by order
 of the said king made in the year      
#agbi1 by ,lieutenant ,richard2 who with
 his ship passed the winter near the new
 ,danish colony1 in ,greenland1 and in  
his voyage back to ,denmark made all the
 endeavours he could to come at the     
aforesaid shore1 opposite to ,iceland2  

but all to no purpose1 being herein     
disappointed1 like the rest before him4 
,all these difficulties and continual   
disappointments have made most people   
lose all hopes of succeeding in this    
attempt3 nevertheless1 ,i flatter myself
 to have hit luckily on an expedient1   
which to me seems not impracticable     
though hitherto not tried1 or at least  
but lightly executed2 viz4 to endeavour 
to coast the land from the ,states      
,promontory1 or 7as we call it7 ,cape   
,prince ,christian1 ,northwards4 ,the   
information ,i have had of some         
,greenlanders1 who in their boats have  
coasted a great part of the ,east side1 
confirms me in my opinion2 for although 
an incredible quantity of driven ice    
yearly comes from ,spitzbergen or ,new  
,greenland along this coast1 and passes 
by the ,states ,promontory1 which       
hinders the approaching of ships as far 
as the ice stretches1 whereabout the    
best part of the ,norwegian colonies    
were settled2 yet there have been found 

breaks and open sea near the shore1     
through which boats and smaller vessels 
may pass2 and according to the relation 
of the ,greenlanders1 as well as        
agreeably to my own experience1 the     
current1 that comes out of the bays and 
inlets1 always running along the shore  
,south ,westwards1 hinders the ice from 
adhering to the land1 and keeps it at a 
distance from the shore2 by which means 
the ,greenlanders at certain times1     
without any hindrance1 have passed and  
repassed part of this coast in their    
kone boats 7so they call their large    
boats72 though they have not been so far
 as where the old ,norway colonies had  
their settlement2 of which no doubt     
there are still some ruins to be seen on
 this ,eastern shore4 ,furthermore ,i   
have been credibly informed by ,dutch   
seamen that frequent these seas1 that   
several of their ships have at times    
found the ,east side of ,greenland      
cleared of the ice as far as #fb2 and   
they had tarried some time among the out

 rocks on that coast1 where they carried
 on a profitable trade with the savages4
 ,and ,i myself1 in my return from      
,greenland homewards in the year #agcf1 
found it to be so when we passed the    
,states ,promontory and ,cape ,farewell1
 and stood in near the shore1 where at  
that time there was no ice to be seen1  
which otherwise is very uncommon4 ,but  
as this happens so seldom1 it is very   
uncertain and unsafe for any ship to    
venture so far up under the ,eastern    
shore4 ,but1 as ,i observed a little    
before1 it is more safe and practicable 
to coast it from the ,promontory along  
the shore in small vessels2 especially  
if there be a lodge erected in the      
latitude of between #fj and #fa3 and it 
would be still more convenient1 if there
 could be a way and means found likewise
 to place a lodge on the ,eastern shore 
in the same latitude4 ,for according to 
the account the ancients have left us of
 ,greenland1 the distance of ground that
 lies uncultivated between the ,west and

 ,east side is but twelve ,norway miles 
by water4 ,see ,ivarus ,beri's relation2
 or1 according to a later computation1  
it is a journey of six days in a boat4  
,and as the ruins of old habitations1   
which ,i have discovered between #fj and
 #fa1 are without doubt in the most     
,southerly part of the ,west side1 it of
 necessity follows1 that the distance   
cannot be very great from thence to the 
most ,southern ,parts of the ,eastern   
side4 ,now1 if it should be found       
practicable1 at certain times1 to pass  
along the shore with boats or small     
ships to the ,east side1 to the latitude
 of #fc and #fd1 little lodges might be 
settled here and there with colonies2 by
 which means a constant correspondence  
might be kept1 and mutual assistance    
given to one another1 though larger     
ships could not yearly visit every one  
of them1 but only touch at the most     
,southerly ones4 ,i am also persuaded1  
that the thing is feasible1 and if it   
should please ,god in his mercy to      

forward this affair1 colonies might be  
established here1 which1 without great  
trouble1 might be supplied yearly with  
all necessaries4     ,,chap ,,iii4      
,illustration  ,treats of the ,nature of
 the ,soil1 ,plants1 and ,minerals of   
,greenland4   ,as to the nature of the  
soil1 we are informed by ancient        
histories1 that the ,greenland colonies 
bred a number of cattle1 which afforded 
them milk1 butter1 and cheese in such   
abundance1 that a great quantity thereof
 was brought over to ,norway1 and for   
its prime and particular goodness was   
set apart for the ,king's kitchen1 which
 was practised until the reign of ,queen
 ,margaret4 ,we also read in these      
histories1 that some parts of the       
country yielded the choicest wheat corn1
 and in the dales or valleys the oak    
trees brought forth acorns of the       
bigness of an apple1 very good to       
eat#bd4 ,the woods afforded plenty of   
game of rein deer1 hares1 c4 for the    
sport of huntsmen4 ,the rivers1 bays1   

and the seas furnished an infinite      
number of fishes1 seals1 morses1 and    
whales2 of which all the inhabitants    
make a considerable trade and commerce4 
,and though the country at present      
cannot boast of the same plenty and     
richness1 as it lies destitute of       
colonies1 cattle1 and uncultivated2 yet 
,i do not doubt1 but the old dwelling   
places1 formerly inhabited and manured  
by the ancient ,norway colonies1 might  
recover their former fertility1 if they 
were again peopled with men and cattle2 
inasmuch as about those places there    
grows fine grass1 especially from #fj to
 #fe4 ,in the great ,bay1 which in the  
sea charts goes under the name of       
,baal's ,river1 and at present is called
 the ,bay of ,good ,hope 7from the      
,danish colony settled near the entrance
 of this inlet71 there are on both sides
 of the colony many good pieces of      
meadow ground1 for the grazing and      
pasturing numbers of cattle1 besides    
plenty of provision1 which the sea as   

well as the land yields4 ,trees or woods
 of any consideration are rarely met    
with2 yet ,i have found in most of the  
bays underwoods and shrubs in great     
quantity1 especially of birch1 elm1 and 
willows1 which afford sufficient fuel   
for the use of the inhabitants1 ,the    
largest wood ,i have seen is in the     
latitude of #fj and #fa1 where ,i found 
birch trees two or three fathom high1   
somewhat thicker than a man's leg or    
arm3 small juniper trees grow also here 
in abundance1 the berries of which are  
of the bigness of grey peas4 ,the herb  
called quaun1 which is our angelica1 is 
very obvious and common1 as well as wild
 rosemary1 which has the taste and smell
 of turpentine2 of which1 by            
distillation1 is extracted a fine oil   
and spirit1 of great use in medicine4   
,that precious herb1 scurvy grass1 the  
most excellent remedy for the cure of   
the distemper which gives its name1     
grows everywhere on the sea side1 and   
has not so bitter a taste as that of    

softer climates2 ,i have seen wonderful 
effects of its cure4 ,the country also  
produces a grass with yellow flowers1   
whose root smells in the spring like    
roses3 the inhabitants feed thereupon1  
and find benefit by it4 ,in the bays and
 inlets you have wild thyme at the side 
of the mountains1 which after sunset    
yields a fragrant smell4 ,here also you 
meet with the herb tormentil1 or        
setfoil1 and a great many other herbs1  
plants1 and vegetables1 which ,i cannot 
call to mind1 and whose names indeed are
 altogether unknown to me4 ,their most  
common berries are those called         
blew-berries1 tittle-berries1 and       
bramble-berries4 ,multe-berries1 which  
are common in ,norway1 do not arrive    
here to any perfection1 on account of   
the thick fogs that hang upon the       
islands1 when these plants bud4 ,this   
country affords the most pleasant       
prospect about the latitude of #fj to   
#fd1 and seems fit to be manured for the
 produce of all sorts of grain2 and     

there are to this day marks of acres and
 arable land to be observed4 ,i myself  
once made a trial of sowing barley in   
the bay joining to our new colony1 which
 sprung up so fast1 that it stood in its
 full ears towards the latter end of    
,july2 but did not come to ripeness1 on 
account of the night frost which nipped 
it and hindered its growth4 ,but as this
 grain was brought over from ,bergen in 
,norway1 no doubt it wanted a longer    
summer and more heat to ripen4 ,but ,i  
am of opinion1 that corn which grows in 
the more ,northern parts of ,norway     
would thrive better in ,greenland1      
inasmuch as those climates agree better 
together4 ,turnips and cole are very    
good here1 and of a sweet taste1        
especially the turnips1 which are pretty
 large4  ,i must observe to you1 that   
all that has been said of the           
fruitfulness of the ,greenland soil is  
to be understood of the latitude of #fj 
to #fe1 and differs according to the    
different degrees of latitude4 ,for in  

the most ,northern parts you find       
neither herbs nor plants2 so that the   
inhabitants cannot gather grass enough  
to put in their shoes to keep their feet
 warm1 but are obliged to buy it from   
the ,southern parts4  ,of ,greenland    
metals or minerals ,i have little or    
nothing to say4 ,it is true1 that about 
two ,norway miles to the ,south of the  
colony of ,good ,hope1 on a promontory1 
there are here and there green spots to 
be seen1 like verdigris1 which shows    
there must be some copper ore4 ,and a   
certain ,greenlander once brought me    
some pieces not unlike lead ore4 ,there 
is likewise a sort of calamine1 which   
has the colour of yellow brass4 ,in my  
expedition upon discoveries1 ,i found1  
on a little island where we touched1    
some yellow sand1 mixed with sinople    
red1 or vermillion strokes1 of which ,i 
sent a quantity over to the directors of
 the ,greenland company at ,bergen1 to  
make a trial of it2 upon which they     
wrote me an answer1 that ,i should      

endeavour to get as much as ,i could of 
the same sand2 but to theirs as well as 
my own disappointment1 ,i never was able
 to find the said island again1 where ,i
 had got this sand1 as it was but a very
 small and insignificant one1 situate   
among a great many others2 and the mark 
,i had taken care to put up was by the  
wind blown down4 ,nevertheless there has
 been enough of the same stuff found up 
and down in the country1 which1 when it 
is burnt1 changes its former colour for 
a reddish hue1 which it likewise does if
 you keep it awhile shut up close4      
,whether or no this be the same sort of 
sand as that of which ,sir ,martin      
,frobisher is said to have brought some 
hundred tons to ,england1 and was       
pretended to contain a great deal of    
gold2 and again 7as we have above taken 
notice of7 of which some of the ,danish 
,greenland ,company's ships returned    
freighted to ,copenhagen in the year    
#afcf1 is a question which ,i have no   
mind to decide4 ,however1 thus much ,i  

can say1 that by the small experience ,i
 have acquired in the art of chemistry1 
,i have tried both by extraction and    
precipitation if it would yield any     
thing1 but always lost my labour4 ,after
 all ,i declare1 ,i never could find any
 other sort of sand that contained      
either gold or silver4 ,but as for rock 
crystal1 both red and white1 you find it
 here3 the red contains some particular 
solis1 which can only be produced by the
 spagyric art4  ,stone flax1 or what    
they call asbestos1 is so common here1  
that you may see whole mountains of it3 
it has the appearance of a common stone1
 but can be split or cloven like a piece
 of wood4 ,it contains long filaments1  
which1 when beaten and separated from   
the dross1 you may twist and spin into a
 thread4 ,as long as it has its oily    
moisture it will burn without being     
consumed to ashes4  ,round about our    
colony of ,good ,hope there is a sort of
 coarse bastard marble of different     
colours1 blue1 green1 red1 and some     

quite white1 and again some white with  
black spots1 which the natives form into
 all sorts of vessels and utensils1 as  
lamps1 pots to boil in1 and even        
crucibles to melt metals in1 this marble
 standing proof against the fire#be4 ,of
 this marble there was brought a        
quantity over to ,drontheim in ,norway1 
which they made use of in the adorning  
of the cathedral of that city1 as we    
have it from ,peter ,claudius           
,undalin#bf4  ,amongst the produce of   
the sea1 besides different shells1      
muscles1 and periwinkles1 there are also
 coral trees1 of which ,i have seen one 
of a fine form and size4     ,,chap4    
,,iv  ,of the ,nature of the ,climate1  
and the ,temperament of the ,air4   ,the
 natives of ,greenland have no reason to
 complain of rains and stormy weather1  
which seldom trouble them2 especially in
 the ,bay of ,disco1 in the #fhth degree
 of ,latitude1 where they commonly have 
clear and settled weather during the    
whole summer season3 but again1 when    

foul and stormy weather falls in1 it    
rages with an incredible fierceness and 
violence1 chiefly when the wind comes   
about ,southerly1 or ,south ,west2 and  
the storm is laid and succeeded by fair 
weather as soon as the wind shifts about
 to the ,west and ,north4  ,the country 
would be exceeding pleasant and         
healthful in summer time1 if it was not 
for the heavy fogs that annoy it1       
especially near the sea coast2 for it is
 as warm here as anywhere1 when the air 
is serene and clear1 which happens when 
the wind blows ,easterly2 and sometimes 
it is so hot1 that the sea water1 which 
after the ebbing of the sea has remained
 in the hollow places of the rocks1 has 
often1 before night1 by the heat of the 
sun1 been found coagulated into a fine  
white salt4 ,i can remember1 that once1 
for three months together1 we had as    
fair settled weather and warm sunshine  
days as one could wish1 without any     
rain4  ,the length of the summer is from
 the latter end of ,may to the midst of 

,september2 all the remaining part of   
the year is winter1 which is tolerable  
in the latitude of #fd1 but to the      
,northward1 in #fh and above1 the cold  
is so excessive1 that even the most     
spirituous liquors1 as ,french brandy1  
will freeze near the fire side4 ,at the 
end of ,august the sea is all covered   
with ice1 which does not thaw before    
,april or ,may1 and sometimes not till  
the latter end of ,june4  ,it is        
remarkable1 that on the ,western coasts 
of different countries1 lying in one and
 the same latitude1 it is much colder   
than on the ,eastern1 as some parts of  
,greenland and ,norway4 ,and though     
,greenland is much colder than ,norway1 
yet the snow never lies so high1        
especially in the bays and inlets1 where
 it is seldom above half a yard higher  
than the ground2 whereas the inland     
parts and the mountains are perpetually 
covered with ice and snow1 which never  
melts2 and not a spot of the ground is  
bare1 but near the shore and in the     

bays2 where in the summer you are       
delighted with a charming verdure1      
caused by the heat of the sun1          
reverberated from side to side1 and     
concentred in these lower parts of the  
valleys1 surrounded by high rocks and   
mountains1 for many hours together      
without intermission2 but as soon as the
 sun is set1 the air is changed at once1
 and the cold ice mountains make you    
soon feel the nearness of their         
neighbourhood1 and oblige you to put on 
your furs4 ,besides the frightful ice   
that covers the whole face of the land1 
the sea is almost choaked with it1 some 
flat and large fields of ice1 or bay    
ice1 as they call it1 and some huge and 
prodigious mountains1 of an astonishing 
bigness1 lying as deep under water as   
they soar high in the air4 ,these are   
pieces of the ice mountains of the land1
 which lie near the sea1 and bursting1  
tumble down into the sea1 and are       
carried off4 ,they represent to the     
beholders1 afar off1 many odd and       

strange figures2 some of churches1      
castles with spires and turrets others  
you would take to be ships under sail2  
and many have been deluded by them1     
thinking they were real ships1 and going
 to board them4 ,nor does their figure  
and shape alone surprise1 but also their
 diversity of colours pleases the sight2
 for some are like white crystal1 others
 blue as sapphires2 and others again    
green as emeralds4 ,one would attribute 
the cause of these colours to metals or 
minerals of the places where this ice   
was formed2 or of waters of which it was
 coagulated3 but experience teaches me1 
that the blue ice is the concretion of  
fresh water1 which at first is white1   
and at length hardens and turns blue2   
but the greenish colour comes from salt 
water4 ,it is observed1 that if you put 
the blue ice near the fire and let it   
melt1 and afterwards remove it to a     
colder place1 to freeze again1 it does  
not recover its former blue1 but becomes
 white4 ,from whence ,i infer1 that the 

volatile sulphur1 which the ice had     
attracted from the air1 by its          
resolution into water1 exhales and      
vanishes4  ,though the summer season is 
very hot in ,greenland1 it seldom causes
 any thunder and lightning2 the reason  
of which ,i take to be the coolness of  
the night1 which allays the heat of the 
day1 and causes the sulphureous         
exhalations to fall again with the heavy
 dew to the ground4  ,as for the        
ordinary meteors1 commonly seen in other
 countries1 they are visible in         
,greenland2 as the rainbow1 flying or   
shooting stars1 and the like4 ,but what 
is more peculiar to the climate1 is the 
,northern ,light1 or ,aurora ,borealis1 
which in the spring of the year1 about  
the new moon1 darts streams of light all
 over the sky1 as quick as lightning1   
especially if it be a clear night1 with 
such a brightness1 that you may read by 
it as by daylight4  ,at the summer      
solstice there is no night1 and you have
 the pleasure to see the sun turn round 

about the horizon all the twenty-four   
hours2 and in the depth of winter they  
have but little comfort in that planet1 
and the nights are proportionally long2 
yet it never is so dark1 but you can see
 to travel up and down the country1     
though sometimes it be neither moonshine
 nor starlight3 but the snow and ice1   
with which both land and sea is covered1
 enlightens the air2 or the reason may  
be fetched from the nearness of the     
horizon to the equator4  ,the           
temperament of the air is not           
unhealthful2 for1 if you except the     
scurvy and distempers of the breast1    
they know nothing here of the many other
 diseases with which other countries are
 plagued2 and these pectoral infirmities
 are not so much the effects of the     
excessive cold1 as of that nasty foggish
 weather which this country is very much
 subject to2 which ,i impute to the vast
 quantity of ice that covers the land   
and drives in the sea4 ,from the        
beginning of ,april to the end of ,july 

is the foggish season1 and from that    
time the fog daily decreases4 ,but as in
 the summer time they are troubled with 
the fog1 so in the winter season they   
are likewise plagued with the vapour    
called frost smoke1 which1 when the cold
 is excessive1 rises out of the sea as  
the smoke out of a chimney1 and is as   
thick as the thickest mist1 especially  
in the bays1 where there is any opening 
in the ice4 ,it is very remarkable1 that
 this frost1 damp1 or smoke1 if you come
 near it1 will singe the very skin of   
your face and hands2 but when you are in
 it1 you find no such piercing or       
stinging sharpness1 but warm and soft2  
only it leaves a white frost upon your  
hair and clothes4  ,i must not forget   
here to mention the wonderful harmony   
and correspondence which is observed in 
,greenland between fountains and the    
main sea1 viz4 that at spring tides1 in 
new and full moon1 when the strongest   
ebbing is at sea1 the hidden fountains  
or springs of fresh water break out on  

shore1 and discover themselves1 often in
 places where you never would expect to 
meet with any such2 especially in       
winter1 when the ground is covered with 
ice and snow2 yet at other times there  
are no water springs in those places4   
,the cause of this wonderful harmony ,i 
leave to the learned inquiry of natural 
philosophers2 how springs and fountains 
follow the motion of the main sea1 as   
the sea does that of the moon4 ,yet this
 ,i must observe to you1 that some great
 men have been greatly mistaken1 in that
 they have taken for granted and        
asserted1 that in ,norway and ,greenland
 the tide was hardly remarkable4 7,see  
,mr4 ,wollf's ,reasonable ,thoughts on  
the ,effects of ,nature1 p4 #eda47      
,whereas nowhere greater tide is        
observed2 the sea1 at new and full moon1
 especially in the spring and fall1     
rises and falls about three fathoms4    
,,chap4 ,v4  ,illustration       ,of the
 ,land ,animals1 and ,land ,fowls or    
,birds of ,greenland2 and how      they 

hunt and hill them4   ,there are no     
venomous serpents or insects1 no        
ravenous wild beasts to be seen in      
,greenland1 if you except the bear1     
which some will have to be an amphibious
 animal1 as he lives chiefly upon the   
ice in the most ,northern parts1 and    
feeds upon seals and fish4 ,he very     
seldom appears near the colony1 in which
 ,i had taken up my quarters4 ,he is of 
a very large size1 and of a hideous and 
frightful aspect1 with white long hairs3
 he is greedy of human blood#bg4 ,the   
natives tell us moreover of another kind
 of ravenous beasts1 which they call    
,amarok1 which eagerly pursue other     
beasts1 as well as men2 yet none of them
 could say1 they ever had seen them1 but
 only had it from others by hearsay2 and
 whereas none of our own people1 who    
have travelled up and down the country1 
ever met with any such beast1 therefore 
,i take it to be a mere fable4  ,rein   
deer are in some places in so great     
numbers that you will see whole herds of

 them#bh2 and when they go and feed in  
herds they are dangerous to come at4    
,the natives spend the whole summer     
season in hunting of rein deer1 going up
 to the innermost parts of the bays1 and
 carrying1 for the most part1 their     
wives and children along with them1     
where they remain till the harvest      
season comes on4 ,in the mean while they
 with so much eagerness hunt1 pursue1   
and destroy these poor deer1 that they  
have no place of safety1 but what the   
,greenlanders know2 and where they are  
in any number1 there they chase them by 
clap-hunting1 setting upon them on all  
sides1 and surrounding them with all    
their women and children1 to force them 
into defiles and narrow passages1 where 
the men armed lay in wait for them and  
kill them3 and when they have not people
 enough to surround them1 then they put 
up white poles 7to make up the number   
that is wanted7 with pieces of turf to  
head them1 which frightens the deer1 and
 hinders it from escaping4  ,there are  

also vast numbers of hares1 which are   
white summer and winter1 very fat and of
 a good taste4 ,there are foxes of      
different colours1 white1 grey1 and     
blueish2 they are of a lesser size than 
those of ,denmark and ,norway1 and not  
so hairy1 but more like martens4 ,the   
natives commonly catch them alive in    
traps1 built of stones like little huts4
 ,the other four-footed animals1 which  
ancient historians tell us are found in 
,greenland1 are sables1 martens1 wolves1
 losses1 ermins1 and several others2 ,i 
have met with none of them on the       
,western side4--,see ,arngrim ,jonas's  
,history of ,greenland2 as also ,ivarus 
,beni's ,relation1 mentioned by         
,undalinus4  ,tame or domestic animals  
there are none1 but dogs in great       
numbers1 and of a large size1 with white
 hairs1 or white and black1 and standing
 ears4 ,they are in their kind as       
timorous and stupid as their masters1   
for they never bay or bark1 but howl    
only4 ,in the ,northern parts they use  

them instead of horses1 to drag their   
sledges1 tying four or six1 and         
sometimes eight or ten to a sledge1     
laden with five or six of the largest   
seals1 with the master sitting up       
himself1 who drives as fast with them as
 we can do with good horses1 for they   
often make fifteen ,german miles with   
them in a winter day1 upon the ice3 and 
though the poor dogs are of so great    
service to them1 yet they do not use    
them well1 for they are left to provide 
for and subsist themselves as wild      
beasts1 feeding upon muscles thrown up  
on the sea side1 or upon berries in the 
summer season2 and when there has been a
 great capture of seals they give them  
their blood boiled and their entrails4  
,as for land fowls or birds1 ,greenland 
knows of none but rypper1 which is a    
sort of large partridges1 white in      
winter1 and grey in summer time1 and    
these they have in great numbers4       
,ravens seem to be domestic birds with  
them1 for they are always seen about    

their huts1 hovering about the carcases 
of seals1 that lie upon the ground4     
,there are likewise very large eagles1  
their wings spread out being a fathom   
wide1 but they are seldom seen in the   
,northern parts of the country4 ,you    
find here falcons or hawks1 some grey1  
some of a whitish plumage1 and some     
speckled2 as also great speckled owls4  
,there are different sorts of little    
sparrows1 snow birds1 and ice birds1 and
 a little bird not unlike a linnet1     
which has a very melodious tune4        
,amongst the insects of ,greenland1 the 
midge or gnats are the most troublesome1
 whose sting leaves a swelling and      
burning pain behind it2 and this trouble
 they are most exposed to in the hot    
season1 against which there is no       
shelter to be found4 ,there are also    
spiders1 flies1 humble bees1 and wasps4 
,they know nothing of any venomous      
animals1 as serpents and the like2 nor  
have they any snakes1 toads1 frogs1     
beetles1 ants1 or bees2 neither are they

 plagued with rats1 mice1 or any such   
vermin4     ,,chap4 ,,vi4  ,illustration
  ,of the ,greenland ,sea ,animals1 and 
,sea ,fowls and ,fishes4   ,the         
,greenland ,sea abounds in different    
sorts of animals1 fowls1 and fishes1 of 
which the whale bears the sway1 and is  
of divers kinds1 shapes1 and sizes4     
,some are called the finned whales1 from
 the fins they have upon their back near
 the tail2 but these are not much       
valued1 yielding but little fat or      
blubber1 and that of the meaner sort2   
they consist of nothing but lean flesh1 
sinews1 and bones4 ,they are of a long1 
round1 and slender shape1 very dangerous
 to meddle with1 for they rage and lay  
about them most furiously with their    
tail1 so that nobody cares to come at   
them1 or catch them4 ,the ,greenlanders 
make much of them1 on account of their  
flesh1 which1 with them1 passes for     
dainty cheer4 ,the other sort of whales 
are reckoned the best for their fat1 and
 fins or whalebones4 ,these differ from 

the first sort1 in that they have no fin
 on the back towards the tail1 but two  
lesser ones near the eyes1 and are      
covered with a thick black skin1 marbled
 with white strokes4 ,with these side   
fins they swim with an incredible       
swiftness4 ,the tail is commonly three  
or four fathoms broad4 ,the head makes  
up one-third of the whole fish4 ,the    
jaws are covered1 both above and        
beneath1 with a kind of short hair4 ,at 
the bottom of the jaws are placed the so
 called barders1 or whalebones1 which   
serve him instead of teeth1 of which he 
has none4 ,they are of different        
colours1 some brown1 some black1 and    
others yellow with white streaks4       
,within the mouth1 the barders or       
whalebones are covered with hair like   
horse-hair1 chiefly those that inclose  
the tongue4 ,some of them are bent like 
a scymitar1 or sabre4 ,the smallest are 
ranged the foremost in the mouth1 and   
the hindermost near the throat2 the     
broadest and largest are in the middle1 

some of them two fathoms long1 by which 
we may judge of the vast bigness of this
 animal4 ,on each side there are        
commonly two hundred and fifty1 in all  
five hundred pieces4 ,they are set in a 
broad row1 as in a sheaf1 one close to  
the other1 bent like a crescent or      
half-moon1 broadest at the root1 which  
is of a tough and grisly matter1 of a   
whitish colour1 fastened to the upper   
part of the jaws near the throat1 and   
they grow smaller towards the end1 which
 is pointed2 they are also covered with 
hair1 that they may not hurt the tongue4
 ,the undermost jaw is commonly white1  
to which the tongue is fastened1        
inclosed in the barders1 or long whale  
bones2 it is very large1 sometimes about
 eighteen feet1 and sometimes more1 of a
 white colour1 with black spots1 of a   
soft1 fat1 and spungy matter4 ,the whale
 has a bunch on the top of his head1 in 
which are two spouts or pipes1 parallel 
one to the other1 and somewhat bent1    
like the holes upon a fiddle4 ,through  

these he receives the air1 and spouts   
out the water1 which he takes in at his 
mouth1 and is forced upwards through    
these holes in very large quantities1   
and with such violence and noise1 that  
it is heard at a great distance1 by     
which1 in hazy weather1 he is known to  
be near1 especially when he finds       
himself wounded1 for then he rages most 
furiously1 and the noise of his spouting
 is so loud1 that some have resembled it
 to the roaring of the sea in a storm1  
or the firing of great guns1 ,his eyes  
are placed between the bunch and the    
side fins2 they are not larger than     
those of an ox1 and are armed with      
eyebrows4  ,the penis of a whale is a   
strong sinew1 seven or eight1 and       
sometimes fourteen feet long1 in        
proportion to his bulk3 it is covered   
with a sheath1 in which it lies hidden1 
so that you see but little of it3 the   
nature of the female is like that of the
 four-footed animals3 she has two       
breasts with teats like a cow2 some     

white1 others stained with black or blue
 spots4 ,in their spawning time their   
breasts are larger than usual2 and when 
they couple together1 they reach their  
head above water1 to fetch breath1 and  
to cool the heat contracted by that     
action4 ,it is said1 that they never    
bring forth more than two young ones at 
a spawning1 which they suck with their  
teats4 ,the spawn of the whale1 while it
 is fresh1 is clammy and gluish1 so that
 it may be drawn out in threads like wax
 or pitch2 it has no relation to that   
which we call spermaceti1 for it is soon
 corrupted and by no art can be         
preserved4  ,these sea animals1 or      
rather monsters1 are of different sizes 
and bulks2 some yield one hundred1 and  
some two or three hundred tuns of fat or
 blubber4 ,the fat lies between the skin
 and the flesh1 six or eight inches     
thick1 especially upon the back and     
under the belly4 ,the thickest and      
strongest sinews are in the tail1 which 
serves him for a rudder1 as his fins do 

for oars1 wherewith he swims with an    
astonishing swiftness1 proportioned to  
his bulk1 leaving a track in the sea1   
like a great ship2 and this is called   
his wake1 by which he is often followed4
  ,these sea monsters are as shy and    
timorous as they are huge and bulky1 for
 as soon as they hear a boat rowing1 and
 perceive any body's approach1 they     
immediately shoot under water and plunge
 into the deep2 but when they find      
themselves in danger1 then they shew    
their great and surprising strength2 for
 then they break to pieces whatever     
comes in their way1 and if they should  
hit a boat1 they would beat it in a     
thousand pieces4 ,according to the      
relation of the whale-catchers1 the     
whale1 being struck1 will run away with 
the line some hundreds of fathoms long1 
faster than a ship under full sail4 ,now
 one would think1 that such a vast body 
should need many smaller fishes and sea 
animals to feed upon2 but on the        
contrary1 his food is nothing but a sort

 of blubber1 called pulmo marinus1 or   
whale food1 which is of a dark brown    
colour1 with two brims or flaps1 with   
which it moves in the water1 with such  
slowness that one may easily lay hold of
 it1 and get it out of the water4 ,it is
 like a jelly1 soft and slippery1 so    
that if you crush it between your       
fingers you find it fat and greasy like 
train oil4 ,the ,greenland seas abound  
in it1 which allures and draws this kind
 of whales thither in search of it2 for 
as their swallow or throat is very      
narrow 7being but four inches in        
diameter71 and the smaller whalebones   
reaching down his throat1 they cannot   
swallow any hard or large piece of other
 food1 having no teeth to chew it with1 
so that this sort of nourishment suits  
them best1 their mouth being large and  
wide to receive a great quantity1 by    
opening it and shutting it again1 that  
nature has provided them with the       
barders or whalebones1 which by their   
closeness only give passage to the      

water1 like a sieve1 keeping back the   
aliment4 ,here we ought to praise the   
wise and kind providence of an ,almighty
 ,creator1 who has made such mean things
 suffice for the maintenance of so vast 
an animal4  ,next to this there is      
another sort of whales1 called the      
,north ,capers1 from the place of their 
abode1 which is about the ,north cape of
 ,norway1 though they also frequent the 
coasts of ,iceland1 ,greenland1 and     
sundry other seas1 going in search of   
their prey1 which is herring and other  
small fish1 that resort in abundance to 
those coasts4 ,it has been observed1    
that some of these ,north ,cape whales  
have had more than a tun of herrings in 
their belly4 ,this kind of whales has   
this common with the former called      
fin-whale1 in that it is very swift and 
quick in its motion1 and keeps off from 
the shore in the main sea1 as fearing to
 become a prey to its enemies1 if it    
should venture too near the shore4 ,his 
fat is tougher and harder than that of  

the great bay whale2 neither are his    
barders or bones so long and valuable1  
for which reason he is neglected4  ,the 
fourth sort is the sword-fish1 so called
 from a long and broad bone1 which grows
 out of the end of his snout on both    
sides1 indented like a saw4 ,he has got 
two fins upon his back1 and four under  
the belly1 on each side two3 those on   
the back are the largest2 those under   
the belly are placed just under the     
first of the back3 his tail broad and   
flat underneath1 and above pointed1 but 
not split or cloved4 ,from the          
hindermost fin of the back he grows     
smaller3 his nostrils are of an oblong  
shape3 the eyes are placed on the top of
 his head1 just above his mouth4 ,there 
are different sizes of sword-fish1 some 
of twenty feet1 some more1 some less4   
,this is the greatest enemy the true    
whale has to deal with1 who gives him   
fierce battles2 and1 having vanquished  
and killed him1 he contents himself with
 eating the tongue of the whale1 leaving

 the rest of the huge carcase for the   
prey and spoils of the morses and sea   
birds4  ,the cachelot or pot-fish is a  
fifth species of whales1 whose shape is 
somewhat different from that of other   
whales1 in that the upper part of his   
head or skull is much bigger and        
stronger built2 his spouts or pipes are 
placed on the forehead1 whereas other   
whales have them on the hinder part of  
the head3 his under jaw is armed with a 
row of teeth which are but short3 his   
tongue is thin and pointed1 and of a    
yellowish colour3 he has but one eye on 
the side of the head1 which makes him of
 easy access to the ,greenlanders1 who  
attack him on his blind side4 ,of his   
skull that wrongly so called spermaceti 
is prepared1 one yielding twenty to     
twenty-four tuns thereof4 ,the rest of  
the body and the tail are like unto     
those of other whales4 ,he is of a      
brownish colour on the back1 and white  
under the belly3 he is of different     
sizes1 from fifty to seventy feet long4 

,then comes the white fish1 whose shape 
is not unlike that of the great bay     
whale1 having no fins upon the back1 but
 underneath two large ones2 the tail    
like a whale2 his spouts1 through which 
he breathes and throws out the water1   
are the same2 he has likewise a bunch on
 the head3 his colour is of a fading    
yellow2 he is commonly from twelve to   
sixteen feet in length1 and is exceeding
 fat4 ,the train of his blubber is as   
clear as the clearest oil3 his flesh as 
well as the fat has no bad taste1 and   
when it is marinated with vinegar and   
salt1 it is as well tasted as any pork  
whatsoever4 ,the fins also and the tail1
 pickled or sauced1 are good eating4    
,this fish is so far from being shy1    
that whole droves are seen about the    
ships at sea3 the ,greenlanders catch   
numbers of them1 of which they make     
grand cheer4  ,there is yet another     
smaller sort of whales1 called          
but-heads1 from the form of its head1   
which at the snout is flat1 like a but's

 end3 he has a fin upon his back towards
 the tail1 and two side fins3 his tail  
is like to that of a whale4 ,in the     
hinder part of the head he has a pipe to
 fetch air1 and spout the water through1
 which he does not spout out with that  
force the whale does3 his size is from  
fourteen to twenty feet3 he follows     
ships under sail with a fair wind1 and  
seems to run for a wager with them2     
whereas1 on the contrary1 other whales  
avoid and fly from them4 ,their jumping1
 as well as that of fishes and sea      
animals1 forebodes boisterous and stormy
 weather4  ,among the different kinds of
 whales some reckon the unicorn1 as they
 commonly call him1 from a long small   
horn that grows out of his snout2 but   
his right name is nar-whale4 ,it is a   
pretty large fish1 eighteen or twenty   
feet long1 and yields good fat3 his skin
 is black and smooth without hair2 he   
has one fin on each side1 at the        
beginning of his belly3 his head is     
pointed1 and out of his snout on the    

left side proceeds the horn1 which is   
round1 turned1 with a sharp taper point2
 the greatest length of it is fourteen  
or fifteen feet1 and thick as your arm4 
,the root of it goes very deep into the 
head1 to strengthen it for supporting so
 heavy a burthen4 ,the horn is of a     
fine1 white1 and compact matter1        
wherefore it weighs much3 the third part
 of it1 beginning from the root1 is     
commonly hollow2 and there are some very
 solid at the root1 and above it grows  
more and more hollow4 ,on the right side
 of the head there lies another shorter 
horn hidden1 which does not grow out of 
the skin1 and it cannot be conceived for
 what end the ,all-wise ,creator has    
ordained it3 he has1 like other whales1 
two pipes or spouts which terminate in  
one1 through which he breathes and      
fetches air1 when he comes up out of the
 sea with his head4 ,here ,i must       
observe to you1 that when the whale     
comes up to fetch air1 it is not water  
he throws out at the spouts1 as the     

common notion runs2 but his breath1     
which resembles water forced out of a   
great spout4 ,as for the rest of the    
unicorn or nar-whale's body1 it is      
perfectly of the same shape as that of  
other whales4  ,concerning this animal's
 horn1 which has given occasion to so   
many disputes1 whether it be a horn     
properly so called1 or a tooth1 my      
reader must allow me a little           
digression1 to make these gentlemen     
disputants aware of their mistake1 who  
pretend it to be a tooth and not a horn1
 being placed on one side of the snout1 
and not on the top of the forehead1     
where other animals wear their horns4   
7,see ,wormius's ,museum1 l4 iii4 ch4   
#ad47 ,but it appears clearly to all    
beholders1 that it neither has the shape
 of a tooth1 such as other sea animals  
are endowed with1 nor has its root in   
the jaws1 the ordinary place of teeth1  
but grows out of the snout4 ,and        
besides1 the absurdity is much greater  
to hold and maintain1 that animals wear 

teeth on the snout or head1 like horns3 
or dare anybody deny1 that the whale's  
spouts are his nostrils1 through which  
he fetches breath1 because they are on  
the top of his head2 or question1 that  
the clap-mysses' 7a large kind of seal7 
eyes are such1 because they are placed  
in the hindermost part of the head8     
,ought we not rather to think1 that an  
,all-wise ,creator has placed this horn 
horizontally1 to the end that it may not
 be of any hinderance to the course and 
swimming of this animal in the water1   
which would happen if it rose           
vertically8 ,furthermore1 this horn     
serves many other ends1 as to stir up   
his food from the bottom of the sea1 as 
he is said to feed upon small sea-weeds1
 and likewise therewith to bore holes in
 the ice1 in order to fetch fresh air4  
,the inference these gentlemen are      
pleased to draw from the generality of  
fishes and sea animals having no such   
paws or claws as land animals have1 is  
as lame1 and of as little force4 ,and it

 is much less absurd to hold1 that sea  
animals have something common with those
 of the land1 as it is confessed1 that  
many of them have a great resemblance   
together in figure and shape1 viz4      
sea-calves1 sea-dogs1 sea-wolves1 and   
sea-horses1 together with mermen and    
mermaids1 as it is pretended4 ,who is   
ignorant of the winged or flying fishes2
 and of others with long nebs or bills  
like birds2 also of birds with four feet
 like beasts1 and why then may there not
 be sea-unicorns as well as land        
unicorns2 if any such there be in rerum 
natura8 for it is a difficult matter to 
determine what kind of animal the       
,scripture understands1 when it speaks  
of the unicorn1 as in ,psalm xxix4 ver4 
#f1 and in other places2 whether it be  
such a one as ,plinius and other writers
 describe1 giving him the body of a     
horse1 with a stag's head1 and a horn on
 his snout2 or whether it ought not with
 better reason be applied to a certain  
animal in ,africa1 called rhinoceros1   

whose snout is horned in that fashion4  
,if one had patience to consider the    
vast disagreement that reigns between   
these writers1 one would conclude that  
this animal is peculiar to the climate  
where the fabulous bird phnix builds its
 nest2 that is to say in ,utopia1 or    
nowhere4 ,for some describe this animal 
as an amphibious one1 that lives by     
turns upon land and in the water2 some  
will have him to be in the likeness of  
an ore white spotted1 with horse feet2  
others make a three years' colt of him1 
with a stag's head1 and a horn in the   
front one ell long2 and others again    
tell you it is like a morse or          
sea-horse1 with divided or cloven feet1 
and a horn in the front4 ,there are     
authors1 who attribute to him a horn ten
 feet long1 others six1 and others again
 but the length of three inches4 7,see  
,pliny1 ,munsterus1 ,marc4 ,paulus1     
,philostratus1 ,heliodorus1 and several 
others1 whose relations are of the same 
authority with mine1 as that of the     

,greenlanders1 concerning a fierce1     
ravenous wild beast1 which they call    
,amavok2 which all pretend to know1 but 
no person ever yet was found1 that could
 say he had seen it47  ,nises or        
porpoises1 otherwise sea hogs1 are also 
placed in the class of whales1 though of
 a much smaller size1 and are met with  
in all seas4 ,his head resembles that of
 a butts-head-whale3 his mouth is armed 
with sharp teeth3 he has spouts or pipes
 like a whale4 ,he has a fin upon the   
middle of his back1 which towards the   
tail is bended like a half-moon4 ,under 
the belly there are two side fins1      
overgrown with flesh and covered with a 
black skin4 ,his tail is broad like that
 of a whale4 ,he has small round eyes2  
his skin is of a shining black1 and the 
belly white4 ,his length is five to     
eight feet1 at most4 ,his fat makes fine
 oil1 and the flesh is by the           
,greenlander reckoned a great dainty4   
,of other ,sea ,animals4  ,the sea horse
 or morse has the shape of a seal1      

though much larger and stronger4 ,he has
 five claws on each of his feet1 as the 
seal3 his head rounder and larger4 ,his 
skin is an inch thick1 especially about 
the neck1 very rough1 rugged and        
wrinkled1 covered with a short1 brown1  
and sometimes reddish1 or mouse-coloured
 hair4 ,out of his upper jaw there grow 
two large teeth or tusks1 bended        
downwards over the under jaw1 of the    
length of half a yard1 and sometimes of 
a whole yard and more4 ,these tusks are 
esteemed as much as elephants' teeth2   
they are compact and solid1 but hollow  
towards the root4 ,his mouth is not     
unlike that of a bull1 covered above and
 beneath with strong bristles as big as 
a straw3 his nostrils are placed above  
his mouth1 as those of the seal3 his    
eyes are fiery red1 which he can turn on
 all sides1 not being able to turn his  
head1 by reason of the shortness and    
thickness of his neck4 ,the tail        
resembles a seal's tail1 being thick and
 short3 his fat is like hog's lard4 ,he 

lies commonly upon the ice shoals1 and  
can live a good while on shore1 till    
hunger drives him back into the seas2   
his nourishment being both herbs and    
fishes3 he snores very loud1 when he    
sleeps2 and when he is provoked to      
anger1 he roars like a mad bull4 ,it is 
a very bold and fierce creature1 and    
they assist each other1 when attacked1  
to the last4 ,he is continually at war  
with the white bear1 to whom he often   
proves too hard with his mighty tusks1  
and often kills him1 or at least does   
not give over till they both expire4    
,the seals are of different sorts and   
sizes1 though in their shape they all   
agree1 excepting the clap-myss1 so      
called from a sort of a cap he has on   
his head1 with which he covers it when  
he fears a stroke4 ,the paws of a seal  
have five claws1 joined together with a 
thick skin1 like that of a goose or a   
water fowl3 his head resembles a dog's  
with cropped ears1 from whence he has   
got the name of sea dog3 his snout is   

bearded like that of a cat3 his eyes are
 large and clear with hair about them3  
the skin is covered with a short hair of
 divers colours1 and spotted2 some white
 and black1 others yellowish1 others    
again reddish1 and some of a mouse      
colour3 his teeth are very sharp and    
pointed4 ,although he seems lamish      
behind1 yet he makes nothing of getting 
up upon the ice hills1 where he loves to
 sleep and to bask himself in the sun4  
,the largest seals are from five to     
eight feet in length2 their fat yields  
better train-oil than that of any other 
fish4 ,this is the most common of all   
the sea animals in ,greenland2 and      
contributes the most to the subsisting  
and maintaining of the inhabitants1 who 
feed upon the flesh of it1 and clothe   
themselves with the skin1 which likewise
 serves them for the covering of their  
boats and tents3 the fat is their fuel1 
which they burn in their lamps1 and also
 boil their victuals with4  ,as for     
other sea monsters and wonderful        

animals1 we find in ,tormoder's ,history
 of ,greenland1 mention made of three   
sorts of monsters1 where he quotes a    
book1 called 8,speculum ,regale         
,iclandicum20 or1 the ,royal ,island    
,looking-,glass1 from whence he borrows 
what he relates#bi4 ,but none of them   
have been seen by us1 or any of our     
time1 that ever ,i could hear1 save that
 most dreadful monster1 that showed     
itself upon the surface of the water in 
the year #agcd1 off our new colony in   
#fd4 ,this monster was of so huge a     
size1 that coming out of the water1 its 
head reached as high as the mast-head2  
its body was as bulky as the ship1 and  
three or four times as long4 ,it had a  
long pointed snout1 and spouted like a  
whale fish2 great broad paws1 and the   
body seemed covered with shell work1 its
 skin very rugged and uneven4 ,the under
 part of its body was shaped like an    
enormous huge serpent1 and when it dived
 again under water1 it plunged backwards
 into the sea1 and so raised its tail   

aloft1 which seemed a whole ship's      
length distant from the bulkiest part of
 the body4   ,of other ,fishes4  ,of    
fishes properly so called1 the          
,greenland sea has abundance and of     
great diversity1 of which the largest is
 called ,hay1 whose flesh is much like  
that of the halibut1 and is cured in the
 same manner2 being cut into long       
slices1 and hung up to be dried in the  
sun and in the air1 as they cure them in
 the ,northern parts of ,norway2 but the
 ,greenlanders do not much care for it2 
its flesh being of a much coarser grain 
than that of the halibut4 ,this fish has
 two fins on the back1 and six under the
 belly2 the two foremost are the        
longest1 and have the shape of a tongue3
 the other two middlemost are somewhat  
broader than the rest1 and the          
hindermost couple near the tail are     
alike broad before and behind1 but      
shorter than the middlemost3 his tail   
resembles that of the sword fish4 ,there
 are no bones in him1 but gristles only4

 ,he has a long snout1 under which the  
mouth is placed like that of the sword  
fish3 he has three rows of sharp pointed
 teeth2 his skin is hard and prickly1 of
 a greyish hue2 his length is two or    
three fathom2 he has a great liver1 of  
which they make train oil1 the biggest  
of which makes two or three lasts4 ,it  
is a fish of prey1 bites large pieces   
out of the whale's body1 and is very    
greedy after man's flesh3 he cannot be  
caught with lines made of hemp1 for with
 his sharp teeth he snaps it off2 but   
with iron chains4 ,and the larger sort  
are taken with harpoons1 as we do the   
whales4 ,the rest of fishes that haunt  
the ,greenland seas are the halibut1    
torbut1 codfish1 haddock1 scate1 small  
salmon1 or sea-trout of different kinds 
and sizes 7the large salmon not being so
 frequent in ,greenland72 and these are 
very fat and good2 they are found in all
 inlets1 and mouths of rivers4 ,cat-fish
 is the most common food of             
,greenlanders1 insomuch1 that when all  

other things fail1 the cat-fish must    
hold out1 of which there are abundance1 
both winter and summer4 ,in the spring1 
towards the month of ,april1 they catch 
a sort of fish called rogncals1 or stone
 biter2 and in ,may another fish1 called
 lyds or stints3 both sorts are very    
savoury2 they frequent the bays and     
inlets in great shoals4 ,there are also 
whitings in abundance2 but herrings are 
not to be seen4 ,moreover there is a    
kind of fish1 which neither myself nor  
any of my company had ever seen before3 
this fish is not unlike a bream1 only it
 is prickly with sharp points all over1 
with a small tail4 ,there are different 
sizes3 the ,greenlanders say they are   
well tasted4  ,among the testaceous     
animals in ,greenland the chief are the 
muscles1 of which there are great       
quantities2 they are large and delicate4
 ,in some waters ,i have found of those 
larger sorts1 in which the ,norwegians  
find pearls4 ,these have also pearls1   
but very small ones1 not bigger than the

 head of a pin4 ,i shall say nothing of 
the other sea insects1 as crabs1        
shrimps1 c4 though they be not rare     
here2 yet lobsters1 crawfish1 and       
oysters1 ,i never met with4 ,according  
to information had of ,greenlanders1 on 
the ,southern coasts they sometimes     
catch tortoises in their nets2 for they 
tell you1 that they are covered with a  
thick shell1 have claws and a short     
tail2 and moreover that they find eggs  
in them1 like birds' eggs4   ,of        
,greenland ,sea ,birds4  ,amongst the   
sea fowls the principal are those they  
call eider-fowl1 and ducks2 of which    
there are such numbers1 that sometimes  
sailing along1 you find the whole sea   
covered with them2 and when they take   
their flight1 you would think there was 
no end of them1 especially in winter    
time1 when in large flocks1 to the      
number of many thousands1 they hover    
about our colony1 morning and evening2  
in the evening standing in for the bay1 
and in the morning turning out to sea   

again4 ,they fly so near the shore1 that
 you may from thence shoot them at      
pleasure4 ,in the spring they retire    
towards the sea2 for upon the island    
that lies adjacent to the coast they lay
 their eggs1 and hatch their young ones1
 which arrive in ,june and ,july4  ,the 
natives watch them in this season to rob
 them of their eggs and their young     
ones4 ,the fine down feathers1 which is 
the best part of this bird1 so much     
valued by others1 the natives make      
nothing of1 leaving them in the nests4  
,there are three sorts of ducks4 ,the   
first have a broad bill1 like our tame  
duck1 with a fine speckled plumage4     
,these build their nests upon the       
islands as the eider fowls do4 ,the     
second sort is of a lesser size1 their  
bills long and pointed2 they keep most  
in the bays and in fresh waters1 where  
they nest among the reeds4 ,the third   
sort are called wood ducks1 resembling  
very much those of the first sort1      
though somewhat larger in size2 the     

breast is black1 the rest of the body   
grey4 ,these do not propagate in the    
common way of generation by coupling    
like other birds1 but 7which is very    
surprising7 from a slimy matter in the  
sea1 which adheres to old pieces of wood
 driving in the sea1 of which first is  
generated a kind of muscles1 and again  
in these is bred a little worm1 which in
 length of time is formed into a bird1  
that comes out of the muscle shell1 as  
other birds come out of egg shells#cj4  
,besides these there is another sea     
bird1 which the ,norway men call alkes1 
which in the winter season contribute   
much to the maintenance of the          
,greenlanders4 ,sometimes there are such
 numbers of them1 that they drive them  
in large flocks to the shore1 where they
 catch them with their hands4 ,they are 
not so large as a duck1 nor is their    
flesh so well tasted1 being more trainy1
 or oily4 ,the lesser sort of alkes1    
which also abound here1 are more eatable
 than the large ones4 ,besides this vast

 number of sea fowls1 there is yet one  
of a smaller size1 by the natives called
 tungoviarseck1 which1 for the sake of  
its beautiful feathers1 ought not to be 
forgot3 it has the size and shape of a  
lark4  ,wild geese or grey geese keep to
 the ,northward of ,greenland2 they are 
of shape like other geese1 somewhat     
smaller1 with grey feathers4 ,they take 
their flight from other ,southern       
climates over to ,greenland every       
spring1 to breed their young ones2      
which1 when grown and able to fly1 they 
carry along with them and return to the 
more ,southern and milder climates1     
where they pass the winter season4  ,in 
short1 ,i have myself found in          
,greenland all the several sorts of sea 
fowls which we have in ,norway2 as all  
kinds of mews large and small1 which    
build their nests in the clifts of the  
highest rocks1 beyond the reach of any  
one2 and some upon the little islands1  
as the bird called terne and the like2  
whose eggs they gather in great         

abundance among the stones3 the lundes1 
or ,greenland parrot1 so called on      
account of its beautiful plumage and    
broad speckled bill3 the lumbs1 the     
sea-emms1 a fowl of a large size1 and   
very small wings1 for which reason he   
cannot fly3 besides snipes1 and a great 
number of others2 some too common to be 
enumerated and described here1 and      
others1 of which ,i know not the name4  
,,chap4 ,,vii4  ,illustration           
,treats of the ordinary ,occupations1 as
 ,hunting and ,fishing3 of the          
,tools and ,instruments necessary for   
these ,employments3 of the ,house       
,implements and ,utensils1 c41 of the   
,greenlanders4   ,as every nation has   
its peculiar way of living and of       
getting their livelihood1 suiting their 
genius and temper to the nature and     
produce of the country they inhabit2 so 
the ,greenlanders likewise have theirs1 
peculiar to themselves and their        
country4 ,and though their way and      
customs may seem to others mean and     

silly1 yet they are such as very well   
serve their turn1 and which we can find 
no fault with4 ,their ordinary          
employments are fishing and hunting3 on 
shore they hunt the rein deer1 and at   
sea they pursue the whales1 morses1     
seals1 and other sea animals1 as also   
sea fowls and fishes4 ,the manner of    
hunting the rein deer has been treated  
of above in the fifth chapter2 but there
 we took no notice of their bows and    
arrows1 which they make use of in the   
killing those deer4 ,their bow is of an 
ordinary make1 commonly made of fir     
tree1 which in ,norway is called tenal1 
and on the back strengthened with       
strings made of sinews of animals1      
twisted like thread3 the bow string is  
made of a good strong strap of seal     
skin1 or of several sinews twisted      
together2 the bow is a good fathom long4
 ,the head of the arrow is armed with   
iron1 or a sharp pointed bone1 with one 
or more hooks1 that it may keep hold1   
when shot into a deer's body4 ,the      

arrows they shoot birds with are at the 
head covered with one or more pieces of 
bone blunt at the end1 that they may    
kill the fowl without tearing the flesh4
 ,the sea fowls are not shot with       
arrows1 but with darts1 headed with     
bones or iron1 which they throw very    
dexterously1 and with so steady a hand  
at a great distance1 that nobody can hit
 surer with a gun4 ,they are more       
frequently employed at sea than on      
shore2 and ,i confess they surpass      
therein most other nations2 for their   
way of taking whales1 seals1 and other  
sea animals is by far the most skilful  
and most easy and handy4  ,when they go 
whale catching1 they put on their best  
gear or apparel1 as if they were going  
to a wedding feast1 fancying that if    
they did not come cleanly and neatly    
dressed1 the whale1 who cannot bear     
slovenly and dirty habits1 would shun   
them and fly from them4 ,this is the    
manner of their expedition3 about fifty 
persons1 men and women1 set out together

 in one of the large boats1 called kone 
boat2 the women carry along with them   
their sewing tackles1 consisting of     
needles and thread1 to sew and mend     
their husbands' spring coats1 or        
jackets1 if they should be torn or      
pierced through1 as also to mend the    
boat1 in case it should receive any     
damage2 the men go in search of the     
whale1 and when they have found him they
 strike him with their harpoons1 to     
which are fastened lines or straps two  
or three fathoms long1 made of seal     
skin1 at the end of which they tie a bag
 of a whole seal skin1 filled with air1 
like a bladder2 to the end that the     
whale1 when he finds himself wounded1   
and runs away with the harpoon1 may the 
sooner be tired1 the air bag hindering  
him from keeping long under water4 ,when
 he grows tired and loses strength1 they
 attack him again with their spears and 
lances1 till he is killed1 and then they
 put on their spring coats1 made of     
dressed seal skin1 all of one piece1    

with boots1 gloves1 and caps1 sewed and 
laced so tight together that no water   
can penetrate them4 ,in this garb they  
jump into the sea1 and begin to slice   
the fat of him all round the body1 even 
under the water2 for in these coats they
 cannot sink1 as they are always full of
 air2 so that they can1 like the seal1  
stand upright in the sea3 nay they are  
sometimes so daring1 that they will get 
upon the whale's back while there is yet
 life in him1 to make an end of him and 
cut away his fat4  ,they go much the    
same way to work in killing of seals1   
except that the harpoon is lesser1 to   
which is fastened a line of seal skin   
six or seven fathoms long1 at the end of
 which is a bladder or bag made of a    
small seal skin filled with air to keep 
the seal1 when he is wounded1 from      
diving under the water1 and being lost  
again4 ,in the ,northern parts1 where   
the sea is all frozen over in the       
winter1 they use other means in catching
 of seals4 ,they first look out for     

holes1 which the seals themselves make  
with their claws1 about the bigness of a
 halfpenny1 that they may fetch their   
breath2 after they have found any hole1 
they seat themselves near it upon a     
chair made for this purpose2 and as soon
 as they perceive the seal come up to   
the hole and put his snout into it for  
some air1 they immediately strike him   
with a small harpoon1 which they have   
ready in their hand1 to which harpoon is
 fastened a strap a fathom long1 which  
they hold with the other hand4 ,after he
 is struck1 and cannot escape1 they cut 
the hole so large1 that they may get him
 up through it2 and as soon as they have
 got his head above the ice1 they can   
kill him with one blow of the fist4  ,a 
third way of catching seals is this3    
they make a great hole in the ice1 or1  
in the spring1 they find out holes made 
by the seals1 through which they get    
upon the ice to lie and bask themselves 
in the sun4 ,near to these holes they   
place a low bench1 upon which they lie  

down upon their belly1 having first made
 a small hole near the large one1       
through which they let softly down a    
perch1 sixteen or twenty yards long1    
headed with a harpoon1 a strap being    
fastened to it1 which one holds in his  
hand1 while another 7for there must be  
two employed in this sort of capture7   
who lies upon the bench with his face   
downwards1 watches the coming of the    
seal1 which when he perceives1 he cries 
8,k20 whereupon he1 who holds the pole1 
pushes and strikes the seal4  ,the      
fourth way is this3 in the spring1 when 
the seals lie upon the ice near holes1  
which they themselves make to get up and
 down1 the ,greenlanders1 clothed with  
seal skins1 and a long perch in their   
hand1 creep along upon the ice1 moving  
their head forwards and backwards1 and  
snorting like a seal1 till they come so 
near him1 that they can reach him with  
the perch and strike him4 ,a fifth      
manner of catching seals is1 when in the
 spring the current makes large holes in

 the ice1 the seals flock thither in    
great shoals2 there the natives watch   
their opportunity to strike them with   
their harpoons1 and haul them upon the  
ice4 ,there is yet a sixth way of       
catching seals1 when the ice is not     
covered with snow1 but clear and        
transparent2 then the catchers lay under
 their feet foxes or dogs' tails1 or a  
piece of a bear's hide1 to stand upon   
and watch the animal1 and when by his   
blowing and snorting they find what     
course he takes1 they softly follow him 
and strike him4  ,in fishing they make  
use of hooks and angles of iron or      
bones4 ,their lines are made of         
whalebones cut very small and thin1 and 
at the end tacked together2 and with    
such lines they will draw one hundred   
fishes to one which our people can catch
 with their hemp lines4 ,but to catch   
halibut they use strong lines made of   
seal skin1 or thick hemp lines4  ,their 
way of fishing the small salmon or sea  
trout is this3 at low water they build  

small enclosures with stone1 near the   
river's mouth1 or any other place where 
the salmon runs along2 and when it      
begins to flow1 and the tide comes in1  
the salmon retreats to the river1 and in
 high water passes over the enclosure1  
and remains in the river till the water 
again falls2 then the salmon wants to go
 to sea again2 but the fishermen way-lay
 him at the enclosure and stop his      
passage4 ,and soon after1 when the water
 is quite fallen and it is low ebb1 the 
salmon remains upon dry land1 and may be
 caught with hands4 ,and where they are 
left in holes1 they take them with an   
instrument made for this purpose1 viz4 a
 perch headed with two sharp hooked     
bones1 or with one or two iron hooks4   
,the rogn fish1 or roe fish1 so named   
from the great quantity of roe that is  
found in it1 as he is commonly found in 
shallow water and upon the sands1 so he 
is caught like the salmon with the      
before-mentioned instrument4 ,there is  
such abundance of these fishes1 that1 as

 they cannot consume them all fresh1    
they are obliged to dry them on the     
rocks1 and keep them for winter         
provision4 ,when roe fish catching is   
over1 which happens in the month of     
,may1 then the ,greenlanders retire into
 the bays and creeks1 where the lod or  
stint fishing then takes place4 ,there  
are such numberless shoals of them near 
the shore1 that they catch them in a    
kind of sieves fastened upon long poles1
 and throw them upon the shore2 they    
open and dry them upon the rocks1       
keeping them for their winter stock4    
,this fish is not agreeable1 nor        
reckoned wholesome1 when eaten fresh2   
besides they have a nauseous smell1 but 
when dried they may pass4 ,the natives  
eat them with a bit of fat1 or soused in
 train oil3 and so of all other sorts of
 fishes1 what the ,greenlanders cannot  
consume fresh they dry upon the rocks in
 the sun1 or in the wind1 and lay them  
up for the winter4  ,now as to the      
,greenland boats1 there are two sorts of

 them2 the one of which the men alone   
make use1 is a small vessel sharp and   
pointed at both ends1 three fathoms in  
length1 and at most but three quarters  
of a yard broad with a round hole in the
 midst1 just large enough for a man's   
body to enter it1 and sit down in it1   
the inside of the boat is made of thin  
rafts tacked together with the sinews of
 animals1 and the outside is covered    
with seal skins1 dressed and without    
hair2 no more than one can sit in it1   
who fastens it so tight about his waist1
 that no water can penetrate it4 ,in    
these small boats they go to sea1       
managing them with one oar of a fathom  
in length1 broad at both ends1 with     
which they paddle sometimes on one side1
 and sometimes on the other1 with so    
much swiftness1 that they are said to   
row ten or twelve ,norway miles in a    
day4 ,they chiefly make use of them in  
catching of seals and sea fowls1 which  
they can approach on a sudden and       
unawares2 whereas we in our large boats 

can very seldom come so near as to touch
 them4 ,they do not fear venturing out  
to sea in them in the greatest storms1  
because they swim as light upon the     
largest waves as a bird can fly2 and    
when the waves come upon them with all  
their fury1 they only turn the side of  
the boat towards them to let them pass1 
without the least danger of being sunk3 
though they may happen to be overset1   
yet they easily raise themselves again  
with their paddle2 but if they are      
overset unawares 7as it often happens7  
and the boat be not close and tight     
about their waist1 they are inevitably  
drowned4  ,the other kind of boats are  
large and open1 like our boats1 some of 
them twenty yards long2 and these are   
called kone boats1 that is1 women's     
boats1 because the women commonly row   
them2 for they think it unbecoming a man
 to row such a boat1 unless great       
necessity requires it3 and when they    
first set out for the whale fishing1 the
 men sit in a very negligent posture1   

with their faces turned towards the     
prow1 pulling with their little ordinary
 paddle2 but the women sit in the       
ordinary way1 with their faces towards  
the stern1 rowing with long oars4 ,the  
inside of these boats is composed of    
thin rafts1 and the outside clothed with
 thick seal skins4 ,in these boats they 
transport their baggage1 as tents and   
the like household furniture1 when they 
go to settle in some distant places in  
quest of provision4 ,in these boats they
 also carry sails1 made of the bowels   
and entrails of seals4 ,the mast is     
placed foremost on the prow1 and as the 
sail is broad at the upper end1 where it
 is fastened to the yard and narrow at  
the lower end1 so they neither want     
braces nor bowlines and sheet ropes1 and
 with these sails they sail well enough 
with the wind1 not otherwise4 ,these    
boats1 as they are flat-bottomed1 can   
soon be overset4  ,the men meddle with  
no work at home but what concerns their 
tools for hunting and fishing tacklings1

 viz4 their boats1 bows1 arrows1 and the
 like4 ,all other work1 even of building
 and repairing their houses1 belongs to 
the women4 ,as dexterous and skilful as 
the men are at their work1 so the women 
are not behindhand with them1 but       
according to their way and manner       
deserve to be praised and admired4      
,,chap4 ,,viii4  ,illustration  ,of the 
,inhabitants1 their ,houses1 and ,house 
,furniture4   ,it is undoubted1 that the
 modern inhabitants of ,greenland are   
the offspring of the ,schrellings1      
especially those that live on the       
,western coast2 and there may be some   
mixture1 for aught we know1 of the      
ancient ,norway colonies that formerly  
dwelled in the country1 who in length of
 time were blended and naturalized among
 the natives1 which is made probable by 
several ,norway words found in their    
language4 ,for1 although the ,norway    
colonies were destroyed1 yet there were1
 no doubt1 some remains of them1 which  
joined with the natives and became all  

one nation4 ,with these inhabitants all 
the sea coasts are peopled1 some more   
and some less4  ,the coast is pretty    
populous in the ,southern parts1 and on 
the ,north in #fh and #fi2 though1      
compared to other countries1 it is in   
the main but thinly inhabited4 ,in the  
inner parts of the country nobody lives1
 except at certain times in the summer  
season1 when they go rein deer hunting4 
,the reason of this is1 that 7as has    
been said above7 the whole upland       
country is perpetually covered with ice 
and snow4  ,as to their houses or       
dwelling places1 they have one for the  
winter season and another for the       
summer4 ,their winter habitation is a   
low hut built with stone and turf1 two  
or three yards high1 with a flat roof4  
,in this hut the windows are on one     
side1 made of the bowels of seals       
dressed and sewed together1 or of the   
maws of halibut1 and are white and      
transparent4 ,on the other side their   
beds are placed1 which consist in       

shelves or benches made up of deal      
boards raised half a yard from the      
ground2 their bedding is made of seal   
and rein deer skins4  ,several families 
live together in one of these houses or 
huts2 each family occupying a room by   
itself1 separated from the rest by a    
wooden post1 by which also the roof is  
supported2 before which there is a      
hearth or fireplace1 in which is placed 
a great lamp in the form of a half moon 
seated on a trevet2 over this are hung  
their kettles of brass1 copper1 or      
marble1 in which they boil their        
victuals3 under the roof1 just above the
 lamp1 they have a sort of rack or      
shelf1 to put their wet clothes upon to 
dry4 ,the fore door or entry of the     
house is very low1 so that they must    
stoop1 and most creep in upon all fours1
 to get in at it2 which is so contrived 
to keep the cold air out as much as     
possible4 ,the inside of the houses is  
covered or lined with old skins1 which  
before have served for the covering of  

their boats4 ,some of these houses are  
so large1 that they can harbour seven or
 eight families4  ,upon the benches or  
shelves1 where their beds are placed1 is
 the ordinary seat of the women1        
attending their work of sewing and      
making up the clothing4 ,the men with   
their sons occupy the foremost parts of 
the benches1 turning their back to the  
women3 on the opposite side1 under the  
windows1 the men belonging to the       
family1 or strangers1 take their seats  
upon the benches there placed4  ,i      
cannot forbear taking notice1 that      
though in one of these houses there be  
ten or twenty train lamps1 one does not 
perceive the steam or smoke thereof to  
fill these small cottages3 the reason1  
,i imagine1 is1 the care they take in   
trimming those lamps1 viz4 they take dry
 moss1 rubbed very small1 which they lay
 on one side of the lamp1 which1 being  
lighted1 burns softly and does not cause
 any smoke1 if they do not lay it on too
 thick1 or in lumps4 ,this fire gives   

such a heat1 that it not only serves to 
boil their victuals1 but also heats the 
room to that degree1 that it is as hot  
as a bagnio4 ,but for those who are not 
used to this way of firing1 the smell is
 very disagreeable1 as well by the      
number of burning lamps1 all fed with   
train oil1 as on account of divers sorts
 of raw meat1 fishes1 and fat1 which    
they heap up in their habitations2 but  
especially their urine tubs smell most  
insufferably1 and strike one1 that is   
not accustomed to it1 to the very heart4
  ,these winter habitations they begin  
to dwell in immediately after           
,michaelmas1 and leave them again at the
 approach of the spring1 which commonly 
is at the latter end of ,march2 and then
 for the summer season lodge in tents1  
which are their summer habitations4     
,these tents are made of rafts or long  
poles1 set in a circular form1 bending  
at the top1 and resembling a sugar loaf1
 and covered with a double cover1 of    
which the innermost is of seal or rein  

deer skins with the hairy side inward   
7if they be rich71 and the outermost    
also of the same sort of skins1 without 
hair1 dressed with fat1 that the rain   
may not pierce them4 ,in these tents    
they have their beds1 and lamps to dress
 their meat with2 also a curtain made of
 the guts or bowels of seals sewed      
together1 through which they receive the
 day light instead of windows4 ,every   
master of a family has got such a tent1 
and a great woman's boat1 to transport  
their tents and luggage from place to   
place1 where their business calls them4 
,,chap4 ,,ix4  ,the ,greenlanders'      
,persons1 ,complexion1 and ,temperament4
   ,the ,greenlanders1 as well man as   
womankind1 are well shaped and          
proportioned1 rather short than tall1   
and strong built1 inclined to be fat and
 corpulent2 their faces broad1 thick    
lips1 and flat nosed2 their hair and    
eyes black1 their complexion a very dark
 tawny2 though ,i have seen some pretty 
fair4 ,their bodies are of a vigorous   

constitution4 ,there are seldom found   
any sick or lame1 and but few distempers
 are known among them1 besides weakness 
of the eye-sight1 which is caused by the
 sharp and piercing spring winds1 as    
well as the snow and ice1 that hurt the 
sight4  ,i have met with some that      
seemed infected with a kind of leprosy2 
yet 7what is surprising to me71 though  
they converse with others1 and lay with 
them in one bed1 it is not catching4    
,they that dwell in the most ,northern  
parts are often miserably plagued with  
dysenteries or bloody fluxes1 breast    
diseases1 boils1 and epilepsy1 or       
falling sickness1 c4 ,there were no     
epidemical or contagious diseases known 
among them1 as plague1 small-pox1 and   
such like1 till the year #agcd1 when one
 of the natives1 who with several others
 were brought over to ,denmark1 and     
together with his companions had the    
small-pox at ,copenhagen1 coming home   
again to his native country brought the 
infection amongst them2 of which there  

were swept away in and about the colony 
about two thousand persons4 ,for as the 
natives as well as the animals of this  
climate are of a hot nature1 they cannot
 bear the outward heat1 much less the   
inward1 caused by this burning          
distemper1 which inflames the mass of   
blood to that degree1 that it cannot1 by
 any means1 be quenched4 ,they are very 
full of blood1 which is observed by     
their frequent bleeding at the nose4    
,few of them exceed the age of fifty or 
sixty years2 many die in the prime of   
their life1 and most part in their      
tender infancy2 which is not to be      
wondered at1 considering they are quite 
destitute of all sorts of medicines1 and
 ignorant of all that may strengthen and
 comfort sick bodies4 ,to supply which  
defects1 they know of nothing better    
than to send for their divines1 which   
they name angekuts1 who mutter certain  
spells over the sick1 by which they hope
 to recover4  ,for outward hurts1 as    
wounds1 cuts of knives1 and the like1   

they sew or stitch them together4 ,if   
any grow blind1 as it often happens to  
them1 the eye being covered over with a 
white skin1 they make a small hook with 
a needle1 which they fasten into this   
skin1 to loosen it from the eye1 and    
then with a knife they pull it off4     
,when children are plagued with worms1  
the mother puts her tongue 7salva veric7
 into the anus of the children1 to kill 
them4 ,burnt moss with train oil mixed  
together serves for plaisters to fresh  
wounds2 or they cover them with a piece 
of the innermost rind of a tree1 and it 
will heal of itself4  ,the ,greenlanders
 are commonly of a phlegmatic temper1   
which is the cause of a cold nature and 
stupidity3 they seldom fly into a       
passion1 or are much affected or taken  
with any thing1 but of an insensible1   
indolent mind4 ,yet ,i am of opinion1   
that what contributes most to this      
coldness and stupidity is want of       
education and proper means to cultivate 
their minds4 ,in which opinion ,i am    

confirmed by the experience of some who 
had for some time conversed with us1    
especially the young ones1 who easily   
have taken all that they have seen or   
heard among us1 whether it was good or  
bad4 ,i have found some of them witty   
enough1 and of good capacity4           
,,chap4 ,x4  ,the ,customs1 ,virtues1   
and ,vices1 and the ,manners or ,way of 
,life of the ,greenlanders4   ,though   
the ,greenlanders are as yet subject to 
no government1 nor know of any          
magistrates1 or laws1 or any sort of    
discipline2 yet they are so far from    
being lawless or disorderly1 that they  
are a law to themselves2 their even     
temper and good nature making them      
observe a regular and orderly behaviour 
towards one another4 ,one cannot enough 
admire how peaceably1 lovingly1 and     
united they live together2 hatred and   
envy1 strifes and jars are never heard  
of among them#ca4 ,and although it may  
happen that one bears a grudge to       
another1 yet it never breaks out into   

any scolding or fighting2 neither have  
they any words to express such passions1
 or any injurious and provoking terms of
 quarrelling4 ,it has happened once or  
twice1 that a very wicked and malicious 
fellow1 out of a secret grudge1 has     
killed another2 which none of the       
neighbours have taken notice of1 but all
 let it pass with a surprising          
indolence2 save the next kindred to the 
dead1 if he finds himself strong enough1
 revenges his relation's death upon the 
murderer4 ,they know of no other        
punishment2 but those old women called  
witches1 and such as pretend to kill or 
hurt by their conjuring2 to such they   
show great rigour1 making nothing of    
killing and destroying them without     
mercy4 ,and they pretend that it is very
 well done2 those people not deserving  
to live1 who by secret arts can hurt and
 make away with others4  ,they have as  
great an abhorrence of stealing or      
thieving among themselves1 as any nation
 upon ,earth2 wherefore they keep       

nothing shut up under lock and key1 but 
leave every thing unlocked that every   
body can come at it1 without fear of    
losing it4  ,this vice is so much       
detested by them1 that if a maiden      
should steal any thing1 she would       
thereby forfeit a good match4 ,yet if   
they can lay hands upon any thing       
belonging to us foreigners1 they make no
 great scruple of conscience about it4  
,but1 as we now have lived some time in 
the country amongst them1 and are looked
 upon as true inhabitants of the land1  
they at last have forbore to molest us  
any more that way4  ,as to the          
transgression of the seventh            
commandment1 we never have found them   
guilty in that point1 either in words or
 deeds1 except what passes amongst the  
married people in their public          
diversions1 as we shall see hereafter4  
,as for what we call civility and       
compliments1 they do not much trouble   
themselves about them2 they go and come1
 meet and pass one another1 without     

making use of any greeting or           
salutation3 yet they are far from being 
unmannerly or uncivil in their          
conversation2 for they make a difference
 among persons1 and give more honour to 
one than to another1 according to their 
merit and deserts4 ,they never enter any
 house where they are strangers1 unless 
they are invited1 and when they come in1
 the master of the house1 to whom they  
pay the visit1 shows them the place     
where they are to take their seat4  ,as 
soon as a visitor enters the house1 he  
is desired forthwith to strip naked1 and
 to sit down in this guise like all the 
rest2 for this is the grand fashion with
 them to dry the clothes of their guest4
 ,when victuals are put before him1 he  
takes care not to begin eating          
immediately1 for fear of being looked   
upon as starved1 or of passing for a    
glutton4 ,he must stay till all the     
family is gone to bed before he can lie 
down1 for to them it seems unbecoming   
that the guest goes to rest before the  

landlord4 ,whenever a stranger comes    
into a house1 he never asks for         
victuals1 though never so hungry2 nor is
 there any need he should2 for they     
generally exercise great hospitality1   
and are very free with what they have2  
and what is highly to be admired and    
praiseworthy1 they have most things in  
common2 and if there be any among them  
7as it will happen7 who cannot work or  
get his livelihood1 they do not let him 
starve1 but admit him freely to their   
table1 in which they confound us        
,christians1 who suffer so many poor and
 distressed mortals to perish for want  
of victuals4  ,finally1 the             
,greenlanders1 as to their manners and  
common way of life1 are very slovenly1  
nasty1 and filthy2 they seldom wash     
themselves#cb1 will eat out of plates   
and bowls after their dogs1 without     
cleansing them2 and 7what is most       
nauseous to behold71 eat lice and such  
like vermin1 which they find upon       
themselves or others4 ,thus they make   

good the old proverb1 what drips from   
the nose falls into the mouth1 that     
nothing may be lost4 ,they will scrape  
the sweat from off their faces with a   
knife1 and lick it up4 ,they do not     
blush to sit down and ease themselves in
 the presence of others4 ,every family  
has a urine tub placed before the entry1
 in which they make water1 and leave it 
so standing till it smells most         
insufferably1 for they put in it the    
skins1 which are to be dressed1 to soak 
or steep1 which affords not the most    
agreeable scent2 to the encreasing of   
which the rotten pieces of flesh meat   
and fat thrown under their benches      
contributes a great deal2 so that       
delicate noses do not find their account
 among them4 ,yet through long custom   
the most nauseous things become more    
supportable4  ,notwithstanding1 however1
 their nasty and most beastly way of    
living1 they are very good natured and  
friendly in conversation4 ,they can be  
merry and bear a joke1 provided it be   

within due bounds4 ,never any of them   
has offered in the least manner to hurt 
or to do harm to any of our people1     
unless provoked to it4 ,they fear and   
respect us as a nation far superior to  
theirs in valour and strength4          
,,chap4 ,,xi4  ,illustration  ,of their 
,habits1 and ,way of ,dressing4   ,their
 clothes are1 for the most part1 made of
 rein deer and seal skin1 as also of    
bird's skin nicely dressed and prepared4
 ,the men's habits are a coat or jacket1
 with a cap or hood sewed to it1 to     
cover the head and shoulders1 in the    
fashion of a domino1 or monk's hood4    
,this coat reaches down to the knees4   
,their breeches are very small1 not     
coming above their loins1 that they may 
not hinder them in getting into their   
small boats4 ,and as they wear no linen1
 the hair of the skins the coat is made 
of is turned inward to keep them warm4  
,over this coat they put on a large     
frock1 made of seal skin dressed and    
tanned1 without hair1 in order to keep  

the water out2 and thus they are dressed
 when they go to sea4  ,between the     
leathern frock and the under coat they  
wear a linen shirt1 or1 for want of     
linen1 made of seal's guts2 which also  
helps to keep out the water from the    
under coat4 ,of late they appear        
sometimes in more gaudy dresses1 as     
shirts made of striped linen1 and coats 
and breeches of red and blue stuffs1 or 
cloth1 which they buy of ours1 or the   
,dutch merchants1 but fashioned after   
their own way2 in these they make parade
 and feast1 when they keep holidays on  
shore4 ,the stockings they wore formerly
 were made of rein deer1 or seal's skin1
 but now they like better our sort of   
worsted stockings1 of different colours1
 white1 blue1 and red1 which they buy of
 us4 ,their shoes and boots are made of 
seal's skins1 red or yellow1 well       
dressed and tanned2 they are nicely     
wrought1 with folds behind and before1  
without heels1 and fit well upon the    
foot#cc4  ,the only difference between  

the dress of the men and the women is1  
that the women's coats are higher on the
 shoulders and wider than the men's1    
with higher and larger hoods4 ,the      
married women1 that have got children1  
wear much larger coats than the rest1   
most like gowns1 because they must carry
 their children in them upon their      
backs1 having got no other cradle or    
swadling clothes for them4 ,they wear   
drawers1 which reach to the middle of   
the thigh1 and over them breeches3 the  
drawers they always keep on1 and sleep  
in them4 ,their breeches come down to   
the knee3 these they do not wear in the 
summer1 nor in the winter1 but when they
 go abroad2 and as soon as they come    
home they pull them off again4 ,next to 
their body they wear a waistcoat made of
 young fawns' skins1 with the hairy side
 inward4 ,the coat1 or upper garment1 is
 also made of fine coloured swans' skins
 7or1 in defect of that1 of seal skins7 
trimmed and edged with white1 and nicely
 wrought in the seams1 and about the    

brim1 which looks very well4 ,their     
shoes and boots1 with little difference1
 are like those of the men4 ,their hair1
 which is very long and thick1 is       
braided and tied up in a knot1 which    
becomes them well4 ,they commonly go    
bare-headed1 as well without as within  
doors2 nor are they covered with hoods1 
but in case it rains or snows4 ,their   
chief ornament and finery is to wear    
glass beads of divers colours1 or corals
 about the neck and arms1 and pendants  
in their ears4 ,they also wear          
bracelets1 made of black skin1 set with 
pearls1 with which they also trim their 
clothes and shoes4  ,the ,greenland sex 
have1 besides this1 another sort of     
embellishment1 viz4 they make long black
 strokes between the eyes on the        
forehead1 upon the chin1 arms1 and      
hands1 and even upon the thighs and     
legs3 these they make with a needle and 
thread made black4 ,and though this to  
others seems a wrong way of             
embellishing1 yet they think it very    

handsome and ornamental4 ,and they say  
that those who do not thus deform their 
faces1 their heads shall be turned into 
train tubs1 which are placed under the  
lamps in ,heaven1 or the land of souls4 
,they keep their clothes pretty clean1  
though in other things1 especially in   
their victuals1 they are not so nice1   
chiefly the women1 who have got         
children1 are very dirty and slovenly1  
well knowing1 that they cannot be       
repudiated1 or sent a packing4 ,but     
those wretches that are barren1 or whose
 children are dead1 and do not know the 
moment they may be sent away1 are       
obliged to take more care of their      
cleanness and property1 that they may   
please their husbands4     ,,chap4      
,,xii4  ,of their ,diet1 and manner of  
dressing their ,victuals4   ,the        
,greenlanders' provision and victuals   
are flesh and fish meat 7for the country
 affords no other kind of provision7 as 
rein deer1 whales1 seals1 hares1 and    
rypes1 or white partridges1 and all     

sorts of sea fowls4 ,they eat their     
flesh meat sometimes raw1 sometimes     
boiled1 or dried in the sun or wind2 but
 their fish meat is always thoroughly   
done1 or they eat it dried in the sun or
 air1 as salmon1 roe-fish1 halibut1 or  
the small stints1 which1 in the months  
of ,may and ,june1 they catch in great  
abundance1 and keep them cured and dried
 for winter provisions4 ,and whereas1 in
 the winter season1 it is very rare to  
get seals1 except in the most ,northern 
parts where they take them upon the ice2
 so they make all the provision of them 
they can get in the fall1 and bury them 
under the snow1 until the winter comes  
on1 when they dig them up1 and eat them 
raw and frozen as they are4 ,their drink
 is nothing but water1 and not1 as some 
writers have wrongly pretended1 train   
oil2 for they do not so much as eat the 
fat1 but only in sauces to their dried  
fish4  ,furthermore1 they put great     
lumps of ice and snow into the water    
they drink1 to make it the cooler to    

quench their thirst4 ,they are1 taking  
them in general1 very hoggish and dirty 
in their eating and dressing of their   
victuals2 they never wash1 cleanse1 or  
scour the kettles1 pots1 or dishes1 in  
which they dress1 and out of which they 
eat their victuals2 which when dressed1 
they often lay down upon the dirty      
ground1 which they walk upon1 instead of
 tables4 ,they will1 with so great an   
appetite and greediness1 feed upon the  
rotten and stinking seal flesh1 that it 
turns the stomach of any hungry man who 
looks upon them4 ,they have no set time 
for their meals1 every man eats when he 
is hungry1 except when they go to sea1  
and then their chief repast is a supper1
 after they are come home in the        
evening2 and he1 whose supper is first  
ready1 calls his neighbours to come and 
partake of it1 as he does again with    
them reciprocally2 and so it goes round 
from one to another4  ,the women do not 
eat in company with the men1 but        
separately by themselves2 and in the    

absence of their husbands1 when gone a  
fishing1 they being left to themselves1 
invite one another1 and make grand      
cheer4 ,and as they eat heartily1 when  
they can come at it1 so they can as well
 endure hunger1 when scarcity of        
provision requires it4 ,it has been     
observed1 that in great scarcity1 they  
can live upon pieces of old skins1 upon 
reets1 or sea weeds1 and other such     
trash4 ,but the reason why they can     
endure hunger better than we foreigners1
 ,i take to be1 their bodies being so   
squat and corpulent1 their fat yielding 
them matter of nourishment within       
themselves1 for a while1 till it be     
consumed4  ,besides the fore-mentioned  
provisions1 they also eat a sort of     
reddish sea weed1 and a kind of root1   
which they call tugloronet1 both dressed
 with fat or train oil2 the dung of the 
rein deer1 taken out of the guts1 when  
they cleanse them2 the entrails of      
partridges1 and the like out-cast1 pass 
for dainties with them4 ,they make      

likewise pancakes of what they scrape   
off the inside of seal skins1 when they 
dress them4 ,in the summer they boil    
their meat with wood1 which they gather 
in the field1 and in winter time over   
their lamps in little kettles of an oval
 figure1 made of brass1 copper1 or      
marble1 which they make themselves4  ,to
 kindle the fire1 when extinguished1    
they make use of this expedient1 which  
shows their ingenuity3 they take a short
 block of dry fir tree1 upon which they 
rub another piece of hard wood1 till1 by
 the continued motion1 the fir catches  
fire4 ,when we first came among them1   
they did not like to taste any of our   
victuals1 but now they are glad to get  
some of it1 especially bread and butter1
 which they like mightily1 but they do  
not much care for our liquors2 yet      
notwithstanding1 some of them1 who have 
lived some time among us1 have learnt to
 drink wine and brandy1 and never refuse
 it1 when it is offered them4 ,but as   
for tobacco1 they do not at all like it1

 nor can they bear the smell or smoke of
 it4     ,,chap4 ,,xiii4  ,of their     
,marriages1 and ,education of their     
,children4   ,the most detestable crime 
of polygamy1 which reigns so much among 
the ,heathens1 the ,greenlanders are not
 so much addicted to2 for commonly they 
are contented with one wife4 ,there are 
some1 but very few1 that keep two1      
three1 or four wives3 but these pass for
 heroes or more than ordinary men1 in   
that1 by their industry1 they are able  
to subsist so many wives and children4  
,and what is remarkable1 before our     
arrival1 there was never heard of such a
 thing as jealousy among those wives1   
but they agreed very well together1     
though the first wife was reckoned the  
mistress4 ,since our arrival1 as we have
 informed them of the word and will of  
,god1 importing1 that in the beginning  
the ,all-wise ,creator made one man and 
one woman1 to live in matrimony as      
husband and wife1 there has been some   
resentment in the wives1 when their     

husbands have had a mind to take any    
other besides them2 they have addressed 
themselves to me1 and desired me to put 
a stop to such a proceeding4 ,also when 
,i have instructed them in their        
catechism and the ,christian doctrine1  
they have always put me in mind1 not to 
forget fully to instruct their husbands 
in the duties of the seventh            
commandment4  ,some time passed before  
we could learn how the men behaved      
themselves with regard to other men's   
wives1 or the women vice versa1 till at 
last we perceived them not to be over   
scrupulous in this matter1 of which we  
were more fully convinced1 by hearing of
 a certain illegal game used among them2
 which is this4 ,a number of married men
 and women meet together at an assembly2
 where1 after they have taken their fill
 of feasting and revelling1 they begin  
singing and dancing1 according to their 
own way2 and in the mean while one after
 another take a trip with each other's  
wife1 behind a curtain or hangings made 

of skins at one end of the house1 where 
their beds are placed1 and there divert 
themselves4 ,those are reputed the best 
and noblest tempered1 who1 without any  
pain or reluctancy1 will lend their     
friends their wives4  ,but1 as ,i       
observed above1 none but married people 
frequent these sort of games1 which1    
they imagine1 is not unbecoming4        
,especially the women think themselves  
happy1 if an angekkok1 or prophet1 will 
honour them with his caresses3 there are
 even some men so generous1 that they   
will pay the angekkok for it2 chiefly if
 they themselves have no children2 for  
they fancy that an angekkok's child will
 be more happy and better qualified for 
business than others4  ,maidens1 on the 
contrary1 and unmarried women1 observe  
much better the rules of modesty and    
continency2 for ,i never saw any of them
 entertain any loose or slippery        
conversation with young men2 or show the
 least inclination to it either in words
 or deeds4 ,during fifteen full years   

that ,i lived in ,greenland1 ,i did not 
hear of more than two or three young    
unmarried women1 who had been guilty of 
incontinence2 because it is reckoned the
 greatest of infamies4 ,it is           
remarkable1 that natural decency is     
observed by them2 for they refrain from 
marrying their next relations1 even in  
the third degree1 taking such matches to
 be unwarrantable and quite unnatural4  
,it is likewise reckoned uncouth and    
blameable1 if a lad and a girl1 that    
have served and been educated in one    
family1 should desire to be married     
together2 for they look upon them as    
brother and sister4  ,the ceremonies    
they use in their marriages and weddings
 are as follow3--,when a young man likes
 a maiden1 he commonly proposes it to   
their parents and relations on both     
sides2 and after he has obtained their  
consent1 he gets two or more old women  
to fetch the bride 7and if he is a stout
 fellow1 he will fetch her himself74    
,they go to the place where the young   

woman is1 and carry her away by force2  
for though she ever so much approves of 
the match1 yet out of modesty she must  
make as if it went against the grain1   
and as if she was much ruffled at it2   
else she will be blamed and get an ill  
name1 as if she had been a love-sick    
wench4 ,after she is brought to the     
house of the bridegroom1 she keeps for  
some time at a distance1 and sits       
retired in some corner1 upon the bench1 
with her hair dishevelled1 and covering 
her face1 being bashful and ashamed4 ,in
 the mean while the bridegroom uses all 
the rhetorick he is master of1 and      
spares no caresses to bring her to a    
compliance with his ardent wishes2 and  
the good girl being at length persuaded 
and prevailed with1 yields kindly to his
 ravishing embraces2 and then they lie  
down together1 and so the wedding is    
over4 ,but sometimes they take a shorter
 way to go to work1 which is to gratify 
their inclinations without the advice or
 consent of the parents#cd4             

,nevertheless their matrimony is not of 
so indissoluble a nature but that the   
husbands often repudiate and put away   
their wives1 if either they do not suit 
their humours1 or else1 if they are     
barren and do not bring forth children  
7which they hold to be very             
ignominious71 and marry others4 ,but if 
they have children by them1 they bear a 
great deal with them1 and keep them for 
life4 ,it is not rare to see that a man 
beats his wife1 and gives her black     
eyes1 for her obstinacy and stubbornness
 sake2 however they are soon reconciled 
and good friends again1 without bearing 
any grudge4 ,for1 according to them1 it 
signifies nothing1 that a man beats his 
wife2 but they do not like that a master
 should drub a servant maid4 ,likewise  
they think it heinous that a mother     
chastises her children2 and if she falls
 foul of her maid1 it is with them      
unpardonable2 and such a woman gets an  
ill name4  ,if one of the party dies1   
the relict1 whether husband or wife1 is 

at liberty to marry again4  ,the women  
are of a very hardy and strong nature1  
which they chiefly show in their        
child-bearing2 for as soon as it is     
over1 they will go to work and do their 
ordinary business as usual4 ,but        
sometimes they pay very dear for this   
bravery1 it costing them their lives4   
,the day after their delivery they go   
abroad to work1 being girt with a waist 
belt two or three inches broad1 which   
they also wore before their delivery4   
,as soon as the child is born1 the      
mother dips her finger into water1 and  
rubs the child's lips with it2 or she   
puts a little bit of snow into its      
mouth1 saying1 8,imekautit10 which      
signifies1 ,thou hast drunk a good deal2
 and when she eats1 she takes a bit of  
fish1 and holds it to the child's mouth1
 and shakes her hand1 with this word1   
8,aiparpotit10 that is to say1 ,thou    
hast eat and kept me company4 ,they cut 
the navel-string1 not with a knife1 but 
with a muscle shell1 or they bite it off

 with their teeth2 and when the string  
is dry they use it as an amulet4  ,they 
hold a chamber pot over the head of the 
woman in labour1 imagining that it helps
 to hasten her delivery4 ,the child     
being a year old1 the mother slabbers   
and licks it all over1 from head to     
foot1 that it may grow hale and strong4 
,they seldom bear twins1 but monsters   
are often brought forth4 ,in the year   
#agcg a woman1 in the ,bay of ,disco1   
was delivered of a hideous monster2 the 
eyes were placed on the side of the     
nose3 it had a pointed snout and no     
ears4 ,instead of hands and feet it had 
paws1 and very thick thighs4 ,its front 
was covered with hair like those of a   
rein deer1 and the sides were covered   
with something like a white skin of a   
fish4 ,in the same place another        
monstrous birth was seen in the year    
#agci1 without a head1 four-footed1 with
 long nails1 like claws2 it had a mouth 
upon the breast1 and claws upon the     
back4  ,they have a very tender love for

 their children1 and the mother always  
carries her infant child about with her 
upon her back1 wrapped up in her coat   
wherever she goes1 or whatever business 
she has in hand1 for they have no other 
cradles for them4 ,they suckle them till
 they are three or four years old or    
more2 because in their tender infancy   
they cannot digest the strong victuals  
that the rest must live upon4  ,the     
education of their children is what they
 seem little concerned about2 for they  
never make use of whipping or hard words
 to correct them1 when they do any thing
 amiss1 but leave them to their own     
discretion4 ,notwithstanding which1 when
 they are grown1 they never seem        
inclined to vice or roguery1 which is to
 be admired4 ,it is true1 they show no  
great respect to their parents in their 
outward forms1 but always are very      
willing to do what they order them2     
though sometimes they will bid their    
parents do it themselves4 ,they are     
under the care of their parents1 boys as

 well as girls1 till they are married2  
afterwards they shift for themselves1   
yet so1 that they continue to dwell in  
the same house1 or under the same roof  
with their fathers1 together with other 
kindred and relations2 and what they    
get1 they all enjoy in common4          
,,chap4 ,,xiv4  ,how the ,greenlanders  
mourn and bury their dead ,friends4     
,when any person dies1 they take what   
belongs to him1 as house-furniture1     
utensils1 and clothing1 and throw it all
 out into the field1 that by touching of
 them they may not become unclean1 or   
any misfortune befal them on that       
account3 and all that live in the same  
house are obliged to carry out any thing
 of their goods that is new and has not 
been used2 but in the evening they bring
 them all back again1 for then they say 
the stench of the dead body is quite    
dissipated4 ,then they begin to lament  
and mourn for their dead friend1 with   
tears and ghastly howlings1 which they  
continue for an hour1 and then the      

nearest relations take the body and     
carry it to the grave1 made up of stones
 thrown together in a heap1 under which 
they bury him dressed in his best       
clothes1 and well wrapt up in skins of  
rein deer or seals1 with his legs bent  
under his back4 ,near the burying place 
they lay his utensils1 viz4 his boat1   
bows1 arrows1 and the like2 and if it be
 a woman1 her needles1 thimbles1 and the
 like2 not that they believe they stand 
in need of those things1 when they are  
come to the land of souls1 or in the    
other world1 whither they are retired1  
but for the aversion they have for those
 things3 lest by refreshing the memory  
of the deceased1 they might renew their 
grief and sorrow for his loss2 for if   
they should bewail him and weep too     
much1 they think he will endure the more
 cold where he is4  ,they think         
themselves unclean if they touch any    
thing belonging to the deceased2 as     
likewise he that has carried him to the 
grave1 and buried him1 is reckoned      

unclean for some time1 and dares not do 
certain things3 nay1 not only the       
kindred and relations of the deceased1  
but likewise every one that has lived in
 the same house with him1 are obliged to
 abstain from certain victuals and work1
 for a while1 according to the direction
 of the angekkuts or divines4  ,the     
women never wash themselves during their
 mourning time1 nor appear well dressed1
 or with braided and tied up hair1 but  
dishevelled1 and hanging about the face4
 ,they must put on their hood as often  
as they go out of doors1 which is not   
customary at other times3 but they      
believe they otherwise should soon die4 
,they bewail their dead long enough3    
for1 as often as any of their friends   
and acquaintance come from other places 
to see them1 the first thing they do is 
to sit down in great sadness1 and weep  
and bemoan the loss of their deceased   
friend3 after which they are comforted  
with good cheer4 ,but if the deceased   
has left no friend or relation behind   

him1 he may lie long enough where he    
died1 whether at home or abroad before  
any body comes and buries him4 ,if a    
person dies in the house1 his body must 
not be carried through the ordinary     
entry of it1 but conveyed out at the    
window2 and if he dies in a tent1 he is 
brought out at the back part of it4 ,at 
the funeral a woman lights a stick in   
the fire1 brandishing the same and      
saying piklerrukpok1 that is1 ,here is  
no more to be got4  ,when little        
children die and are buried1 they put   
the head of a dog near the grave1       
fancying1 that children having no       
understanding1 they cannot by themselves
 find the way1 but the dog must guide   
them to the land of the souls4          
,,chap4 ,,xv4  ,illustration  ,their    
,pastimes and ,diversions1 as also their
 ,poetry4   ,the ,greenlanders have     
several kinds of sports and recreations1
 with which they pass their time1 when  
they have nothing else to do1 or when   
they visit one another3 of which these  

are the most remarkable4 ,when they meet
 together for diversion's sake1 the     
first step made is always banqueting and
 revelling1 where they stuff themselves 
with all the dainty bits and the best   
cheer the country affords2 as rein deer 
and seal flesh dried or boiled2 and the 
tail of a whale1 which they reckon among
 the greatest delicacies4 ,of these     
things they eat very greedily2 for it is
 a great honour done to the landlord who
 treats1 that his guests1 when come     
home1 complain that their belly was too 
small1 and that it was ready to burst4  
,after the repast1 they get up to divert
 themselves in this manner3 one of the  
company takes a drum1 which is made of a
 broad wooden hoop1 or of the rib of a  
whale1 covered with a thin skin1 with a 
handle to it2 which drum he beats with a
 stick1 singing at the same time songs1 
either concerning the common affairs in 
general1 or his own private ones in     
particular4 ,in which1 at the end of    
each verse1 the whole chorus of men and 

women join with him4  ,he that can play 
the most odd and comical gestures1 and  
play the most ridiculous tricks with his
 face1 head1 and limb1 turning them     
awry1 passes for the most ingenious     
fellow2 as he by his awkward and out of 
the way postures can make others laugh4 
,they show their wit chiefly in         
satirical songs1 which they compose     
against one another2 and he1 that       
overcomes his fellow in this way of     
debate1 is admired and applauded by the 
rest of the assembly4 ,if any body      
conceives a jealousy1 or bears a grudge 
to another upon any account1 he sends to
 him1 and challenges him to a duel in   
such or such assembly2 where he will    
fight it out with him in taunting       
ditties4 ,whereupon the defied1 in      
defence of his honour1 prepares his     
weapons1 and does not fail to appear at 
the time and place appointed1 if his    
courage do not forsake him4 ,when the   
assembly is met1 and the combatants     
arrived1 every body being silent and    

attentive to hear what end the combat   
will take1 the challenger first enters  
the lists1 and begins to sing1          
accompanying it with the beat of his    
drum4 ,the challenged rises also1 and in
 silence listens1 until his champion or 
adversary has done singing4 ,then he    
likewise enters the lists1 armed with   
the same weapons1 and lays about his    
party the best he can4 ,and thus they   
alternately sing as long as their stock 
of ditties lasts4 ,he that first gives  
over1 is reckoned overcome and          
conquered4 ,in this sort of taunting    
ditties they reproach and upbraid one   
another with their failings4 ,and this  
is their common way of taking vengeance4
  ,there is not to be expected great    
ingenuity or sallies and points of wit  
in their poesies1 yet there is some     
cadence and number in their verses1 and 
some kind of rhyme in them4 ,for an     
instance of which ,i join hereto a      
,greenland song1 or ode1 composed by one
 of the natives1 who formerly lived in  

our colony1 by name ,frederick          
,christian1 upon the birth day of his   
then royal highness1 ,prince ,christian1
 on the #cjth of ,november1 #agbi1 which
 is as follows4   ,a  ,,greenland       
,,song1  ,,composed  ,,by ,,frederick   
,,christian1  ,a ,native4   ,amna aja   
aja1 aja aja1 c4 ,entry4      ,one      
morning as ,i went out1 and saw1        
,that flags and colours were flying1    
,and that they made ready     ,to fire  
the guns2     ,then ,i demanded1        
,why do you fire8     ,and they answered
 me1 because the ,king's ,son's         
,birth day was celebrated1     ,who is  
to be king after his father1            
,annigamma irsigeik1 amna aja aja1 c4   
,arvallirsullitlarmeta3 amna aja1 c4    
,opellungarsullarmeta1 amna aja1 c4     
,erkaiseigamig og1 amna aja aja1 c4     
,tava orkarbigeik1 amna aja aja1 c4     
,saag erkaisovise8 ,amna aja1 c4        
,tava akkyanga1 assuog ,nellermago1     
,okuine annivine nellermago1 amna aja1  
c4     ,angune tokkopet                 

kongingoromagame1 amna aja1 c4      ,and
 succeed in the kingdom4     ,thereupon 
,i said to my friend1     ,let us make a
 song     ,to the ,king's ,son2     ,for
 he shall be made king4     ,this my    
little song shall praise him3     ',tis 
said1 he is a brave prince1     ,let us 
therefore rejoice2     ,for he shall be 
our king1     ,after his ,father's      
death1     ,we rejoice also1 because    
,he loves us as his ,father does2       
,who sent over clergymen to us1     ,to 
teach us the word of ,god2     ,lest we 
should go to the ,devil4     ,be thou   
like him1 so shall we love thee1        
,kingoreis semmane2 amna aja1 c4        
,tava ikkinguntiga2 amna aja aja1 c4    
,pitsimik sennegiluk2 amna aja1 c4      
,kongib imna niamganut1 amna aja1 c4    
,kongingoromamet2 amna aja aja1 c4      
,pisingvoara una2 amna aja aja1 c4      
,ostantigirfart sillakartok unnertlugo1 
amna aja1 c4     ,tipeitsutigeik3 amna  
aja aja1 aja aja4     ,kongingoromamet2 
amna aja aja1 aja1 c4     ,angune-oy    

tokkoppet3 amna aja aja1 c4             
,tipeitsokigogut3 amna aja aja1 aja1 c4 
,attatatut asseigallopatit3 amna aja1 c4
     ,pellesille tamaunga innekaukit3   
amna aja1 c4     ,gudimik               
ajokarsokullugit3 amna aja1 c4          
,torngarsungmut makko inneille          
pekonnagit3 amna aja1 c4     ,iblile    
tameitit neglitsomapaukit1      ,and    
cherish thee1     ,and be thy servants4 
,our ancestors have also been thy       
servants1     ,even they4     ,that thou
 hast thought on us1     ,this we know  
very well1 ,o gracious ,son of the      
,king4     ,we hope thou wilt continue  
so to do1     ,the ,king thy father has 
before possessed us1     ,when thou     
shalt be our ,king thou'lt prove good   
enough4     ,whatever we possess        
,shall be thine altogether4     ,when   
,greenland shall have received          
instruction1     ,then shall they love  
,god and honour the ,king4     ,let us  
be merry1     ,and of the ,king's ,son  
,drink the health4 ,and say1 ,long live 

,christian6      ,asseigomarpaukit3 amna
 aja aja1 c4     ,kivgakomarpautigut3   
amna aja aja1 c4     ,siurlit karalit   
kivgarimiaukit1     ,juko3 amna aja aja1
 aja aja1 c4     ,isumatigautigut3 amna 
aja aja1 c4     ,nellungikallorapagut1  
,kongib ,niarnga ajungitsotit1          
,teimatoy isumariotit3 amna aja aja1 c4 
,kongib ,angutit pekaramisigut1         
,iblile ,kongingoruit namaksimotit3 amna
 aja1 c4     ,tomasa pirsaugut3 amna aja
 aja1 c4     ,piarmapotit makko3 amna   
aja1 c4     ,karalit illerpeta3 amna    
aja1 c4     ,gud negligomaparput1       
,kongible nalleklugo3 amna aja aja1 c4  
,tecpeitsukigisa3 amna aja aja1 aja1 c4 
,kongiblo ,niarnga3 amna aja aja1 c4    
,skaalia immerlugo3 amna aja aja1 c4    
,tave okarpogut1 ,christian innuvit3    
amna aja1 c4      ,and thy ,consort4    
,may thy years be many6     7,this ,i   
wish7 ,frederick ,christian1 and my     
friend     ,peter1 who were the first   
baptized of ,greenland4     ,would to   
,god our countrymen were also4          

,nulliello3 amna aja aja1 aja aja1 c4   
,okiutikit armarlesorsuangorlutik3 amna 
aja1 c4     ,friderik ,christian        
ikingutigalo2 amna1 c4     ,peder1      
karalinit kockkartoguk3 amna1 c4        
,kannoktok6 ,ekkarlivut tamakilit makko3
 amna aja1 c4     ,amna1 aja aja1 aja   
aja1 aja aja1 hei6  ,they have1 besides 
this1 another sort of diversion1        
accompanied with singing1 which consists
 in swopping or bartering4 ,he that     
performs the office of drummer and      
singer1 exposes one thing or other to   
sale1 at any rate he thinks fit2 if any 
of the company has a liking to it1 he   
shows his consent by giving the seller a
 slap on his breech1 and the bargain is 
done1 and cannot be retrieved1 whether  
good or bad4 ,the boys and lads have    
also their pastimes and plays1 when they
 meet in the evening4 ,they take a small
 piece of wood1 with a hole in it at one
 end1 to that they tie a little pointed 
stick with a thread or string1 and      
throwing the piece with the hole in it  

up into the air1 they strive to catch it
 upon the pointed stick1 through the    
hole4 ,he that does it twenty times     
successively1 and without failing1 gains
 the match1 or party1 and he that misses
 gets a black stroke on his forehead for
 every time he misses4 ,another boy's   
play is a game of chance1 like cards or 
dice2 they have a piece of wood pointed 
at one end1 with a pin or peg in the    
midst1 upon which it turns2 when the    
boys are seated around1 and every one   
laid down what they play for1 one of    
them turns the pointed piece of wood    
with his finger1 that it wheels about   
like a mariner's compass2 and when it   
has done1 he that the point aims at1    
wins all that was laid down4 ,ball      
playing is their most common diversion1 
which they play two different ways4     
,they divide themselves into two        
parties2 the first party throws the ball
 to each other2 while those of the      
second party endeavour to get it from   
them1 and so by turns4 ,the second      

manner is like our playing at foot ball4
 ,they mark out two barriers1 at three  
or four hundred paces distance one from 
the other2 then being divided into two  
parties1 as before1 they meet at the    
starting place1 which is at the midway  
between the two barriers2 and the ball  
being thrown upon the ground1 they      
strive who first shall1 get at it1 and  
kick it with the foot1 each party       
towards their barrier4 ,he that is the  
most nimble footed and dextrous at it1  
kicking the ball before him1 and getting
 the first to the barrier1 has won the  
match4  ,thus 7they will tell you7 the  
deceased play at foot ball in ,heaven1  
with the head of a morse1 when it       
lightens1 or the ,north-light 7aurora   
borealis7 appears1 which they fancy to  
be the souls of the deceased4  ,when    
their acquaintance from abroad come to  
see them1 they spend whole days and     
nights in singing and dancing2 and as   
they love to pass for men of courage and
 valour1 they will try forces together1 

in wrestling1 struggling1 and playing   
hook and crook1 which is to grapple with
 the arms and fingers made crooked1 and 
intangled like hooks4 ,whoever can pull 
the other from his place1 thinks himself
 a man of worth and valour4 ,the women's
 or rather the maiden's plays1 consist  
in dancing around1 holding one another  
by the hand1 forming a circle1 and      
singing of songs4     ,,chap4 ,,xvi4    
,of their ,language4   ,though the      
,greenland language has not affinity    
with other ,european tongues1 yet it    
seems to have borrowed some words from  
the ,norwegians1 who formerly inhabited 
part of the land2 for such words agree  
both in name and signification2 as1 for 
example1 ,kona1 a ,woman2 ,nerriok1 to  
eat1 from the ,norway word ,noerrie4    
,the herb ,angelica1 which they in      
,norway call ,quaun1 the ,greenlanders  
call ,qvaunnek4 ,a ,porpoise1 in ,norway
 called ,nise1 they call ,nise4 ,ashes1 
in ,norway1 ,aske1 in ,greenland1       
,arkset4 ,a ,lamp1 in the ,norwegian1   

,kolle1 in the ,greenlandian1 ,kollek4  
,some of their words resemble ,latin    
words of the same signification2 as1    
,gutta1 a drop2 in the ,greenland       
tongue1 ,gutte1 or ,kutte4 ,ignis1      
,fire1 they call ,ingnek4 ,and some they
 have got from ,hebrew roots1 as1 ,appa1
 a word the children use to name their  
father1 and some others4  ,the accent   
and pronunciation of it is hard and     
difficult1 because they speak very      
thick1 and in the throat4 ,the same     
language is spoke throughout the whole  
country1 though the accent and          
pronunciation differs here and there as 
different dialects2 chiefly towards the 
,southern parts1 where they have        
received and adopted many foreign words1
 not used in the ,northern parts4 ,but  
the angekuts1 or divines1 make use of a 
particular speech1 whenever they        
conjure2 for then they use metaphorical 
locutions and words in a contrary sense4
 ,the women-kind also have a particular 
pronunciation peculiar to themselves1   

and different from that of the men1     
making use of the softest letters at the
 end of words1 instead of hard ones2 for
 example1 ,am for ,ap1 that is1 ,yes4   
,saving1 for ,savik1 a ,knife4 ,their   
language1 in common1 wants the letters1 
c1 d1 f1 q1 x4 ,they have besides many  
double and unknown consonants1 which is 
the cause1 that many of their words     
cannot be spelt according to their      
manner of pronouncing them4 ,for the    
rest1 their expressions are very natural
 and easy1 and their constructions so   
neat and regular1 that one would hardly 
expect so much from a nation so unpolite
 and illiterate4 ,the language is very  
rich of words and sense1 and of such    
energy1 that one is often at a loss and 
puzzled to render it in ,danish2 but    
then again it wants words to express    
such things as are foreign1 and not in  
use among them4 ,they have monosyllables
 and polysyllables1 but most of the     
last4 ,their words1 as well nouns as    
verbs1 are inflected at the end1 by     

varying the terminations1 without the   
help of the articles or particles1 like 
the ,greek and ,latin4 ,the adjectives  
always follow their substantives2 but   
the possessive pronouns are joined to   
the nouns1 as the ,hebrew suffixa#ce3   
nor have the nouns alone their suffixa1 
but the verbs also4 ,to satisfy the     
reader's curiosity1 ,i have hereto      
joined a list of some of the words and a
 sketch1 showing the construction and   
inflections of this language4           
,,vocabulary ,,of ,,the ,,language ,,of 
,,greenland4  ,singular4                
,dual4       ,plural4  ,innuk1 ,mankind1
      ,innuk1      ,innuit4 ,angut1 a   
,man1        ,angutik1    ,angutit4     
,arnak1 a ,woman1      ,arnek1          
,arnet4 ,niakok1 the ,head1    ,niakuk1 
,niakut4 ,irse1 an ,eye1        ,irsik1 
,irsit4 ,kingak1 the ,nose1    ,kingek1 
,kinget4 ,kinak1 the ,face1     ,kinek1 
,kinet4 ,kannek1 ,mouth1       ,kannek1 
,kangit4 ,okak1 ,tongue1        ,okek1  
,oket4 ,kiut1 a ,tooth1        ,kiutik1 

,kiutit4 ,kartlo1 a ,lip1               
,kartluk1     ,kartluit4 ,suit1 an ,ear1
          ,siutik1     ,siutit4 ,nyak1  
,head of ,hair1    ,nytkiek1            
,nytkiet4 ,skik1 the ,breast1           
,skkirsek1  ,skkirset4 ,iviange1 ,bubby1
        ,iviangik1   ,iviangit4 ,tue1   
,shoulder1         ,tubik1      ,tubit4 
,tellek1 ,arm1           ,tellik1       
,tellit4 ,ikusik1 ,elbow1               
,ikivtik1    ,ikivtit4 ,arkseit1 ,hand  
7that is the ,fingers71 is plural only4 
,tikek1 ,finger1         ,tikik1        
,tirkerit4 ,kukik1 ,nail1               
,kukik1      ,kuket4 ,nak1 ,belly1      
,nersek1     ,nerset4 ,innelo1 ,bowel1  
,inneluk1    ,inneluit4 ,okpet1 the     
,thigh1      ,okpetik1    ,okpetit4     
,sibbiak1 the ,hip1      ,sibbirsek1    
,sibbirset4 ,serkok1 ,knee1             
,serkuk1     ,serkuit4 ,kannak1 ,shank1 
,kannek1     ,kannerset4 ,isiket1 ,foot1
 is only of the plural number4 ,kimik1  
,heel1           ,kimik1      ,kimikt4  
,the construction with ,possessive      

,pronouns is thus4  ,iglo1 a ,house1    
,igluk1      ,iglut4 ,my ,house1        
,igluga1     ,igluka1     ,igluka4 ,thy 
,house1    ,iglut1      ,iglukit1       
,iglutit4 ,his ,house1         ,igloa1  
,igluk1    ,igloi4 ,his own ,house1     
,iglune1     ,iglugne1   ,iglune4 ,our  
,house1         ,iglout1     ,iglogat1  
,iglovut4 ,your ,house1        ,iglurse1
   ,iglursik1   ,igluse4 ,their ,house1 
,iglot1     ,iglok1    ,igleit4 ,their  
own ,house1   ,iglurtik1   ,iglutik1    
,iglutik4  ,this same ,noun's           
construction with the suffixas at       
,prepositions1 mik and nik1 mit and nit1
 which signifies from2 mut and nut1 to2 
me and ne1 on or upon1 is thus          
performed4  ,singular4                  
,dual4  ,plural4 ,to the ,house1        
,iglomut1       ,iglugnut1              
,iglunut4 ,to my ,house1                
,iglumnut1      idem1          idem4 ,to
 thy ,house1         ,iglungnut1        
idem1          idem4 ,to his ,house1    
,igloanut1      ,igloennut1             

,iglocinut4 ,to his own ,house1         
,iglominut1     ,iglungminut1           
,iglominut4 ,to our ,house1             
,iglotivnut1    ,iglutivnut1    idem4   
,to your ,house1        ,iglusivnut1    
idem1          idem4 ,to their ,house1  
,iglonut1      idem1          ,igleinut4
 ,to their own ,house1   ,iglomingnut1  
idem1          idem4  ,as to the verbs1 
they are either simple or compounded3   
there are five conjugations1 to which   
may be added a sixth of negative verbs4 
,there are three tenses in all1 the     
present1 preterit1 and future2 and six  
moods1 viz4 indicative1 interrogative1  
imperative1 permissive1 conjunctive1 and
 infinitive4  ,the examples of the      
simple verbs are these4 ,the first      
conjugation ends in kpok1 as ,ermikpok1 
he washes himself3 ,aglekpok1 he writes4
  ,the second ends in rpok1 as          
,mattarpok1 he undresses himself3       
,aularpok1 he sets out on a journey3    
,ajokarsorpok1 he teaches4  ,the third  
conjugation ends in pokpurum2 that is1  

in pok preceded by a vowel1 as ,egipok1 
he throws away2 ,inginok1 he sits down2 
,akpapok1 he runs4  ,the fourth ends in 
ok or vok1 as ,pyok1 he receives3       
,aglyok1 he grows3 ,assavok1 he loves4  
,the fifth conjugation ends in au1 as   
,irsigau1 he ogles2 ,arsigau1 he        
resembles2 ,angekau1 he is tall4  ,the  
sixth conjugation of negative verbs ends
 in ngilak1 as ,ermingilak1 he does not 
wash himself3 ,mattengilak1 he does not 
undress himself3 ,pingilak1 he receives 
not3 ,egingilak1 he throws not away3    
,irsigingilak1 he ogles not4  ,inflexion
 of a ,verb with the suffixes of a      
person agent of the first conjugation in
 kpok4  ,indicative4           ,present4
  ,singular4   ,dual   ,plural4  ,he    
washes himself1   ,the two wash         
themselves1   ,they wash themselves1    
,ermikpok4            ,ermikpuk4        
,ermikput4  ,i wash myself1       ,we   
two wash ourselves1     ,we wash us4    
,ermikpunga4          ,ermikpoguk4      
,ermikpogut4  ,thou wash thyself1   ,you

 two wash yourselves1   ,you wash       
yourselves4 ,ermikpotit4                
,ermikpotik4                ,ermikpose4 
,the inflexion with suffixes of a person
 patient is formed this way4  ,thou     
washest me4   ,ye two wash me1     ,you 
wash me1 ,ermikparma1                   
,ermikpautiga4       ,ermikpausinga4    
,he washes me1      ,the two wash me1   
,they wash me1 ,ermikpanga4             
,ermikpainga4        ,ermikpanga4  ,i   
wash him1        ,we two wash him1      
,we wash him1 ,ermikpara4               
,ermikparpuk4        ,ermikparput4  ,he 
washes him1     ,the two wash him1      
,they wash him1 ,ermikp4                
,ermikpk4           ,ermikpt4  ,thou    
washest him1  ,ye two wash him1   ,you  
wash him1 ,ermikpet4                    
,ermikpartik4        ,ermikparse4  ,i   
wash thee1       ,we two wash thee1     
,we wash thee1 ,ermikpaukit4            
,ermikpautikit4      ,ermikputigit4  ,he
 washes thee1       ,the two wash thee1 
,they wash thee1 ,ermikpatit4           

idem4                  idem4  ,thou     
washest us1      ,ye two wash us1       
,you wash us1 ,ermikpautigut4           
----pautigut4          ,ermikpausigut4  
,he washes us1         ,the two wash us1
       ,they wash us1 ,ermikpatigut4    
idem4                  idem4  ,i wash   
you1           ,we two wash you1        
,we wash you1 ,ermikpause1              
idem4                  idem4  ,he washes
 you1        ,the two wash you1         
,they wash you1 ,ermikpase4             
idem4                  idem4  ,i wash   
them1          ,we two wash them1       
,we wash them1 ,ermikpaka4              
,ermikpauvut4           idem4  ,he      
washes them1       ,the two wash them1  
,they wash them1 ,ermikpei4             
,ermikpatik4            ,ermikpase4     
,thou washest them1    ,ye two wash     
them1      ,ye wash them1 ,ermikpatit4  
,ermikpatik4            ,ermikpeit4     
,inflexion of the ,negative ,verb4  ,he 
washes not         ,the two wash not    
,they wash not himself1                 

themselves41            themselves41    
,ermingilak4           ,ermingilek4     
,ermingilat4  ,i do not wash         ,we
 two wash not        ,we wash not       
myself1               ourselves1        
ourselves1 ,ermingilanga4               
,ermingilaguk4          ,ermingilagut4  
,thou dost not wash    ,ye two do not   
wash     ,you do not wash thyself1      
yourselves1            yourselves1      
,ermingilatit4         ,ermingilatik4   
,ermingilase4       ,with the suffixes  
of the patient person the negative verbs
 are      inflected like the            
affirmatives2 as1  ,he washes me not1   
,ye two wash me not1    ,they wash me   
not1 ,ermingilanga4         idem4       
idem4  ,thou washest me not1  ,ye two   
wash me not1    ,you wash me not1       
,ermingilarma4         ,ermingilautinga4
       ,ermingilausinga4  ,and in the   
same manner you may inflect all verbs   
whatsoever4  ,the preterits and futures 
have the same suffixa as the present    
tense4  ,concerning the compounded      

verbs1 it is to be observed1 that1      
whereas their auxiliary verbs are but   
few1 they make use of several particles 
to supply their place1 which are annexed
 to the simple verbs1 and so make them  
compounded verbs1 yet these particles by
 themselves are not used1 nor of any    
signification4 ,and by this connection  
or composition the simple verbs change  
their conjugation4 ,as for example1     
,first1 in this expression1 they used to
 do so and so1 the composition is formed
 thus2 of the simple verb ,erminpok1 he 
washes himself1 in the composition is   
made ,ermingarace1 he uses to wash      
himself4 ,kieavok1 he weeps2            
,kieeillarau1 he uses to weep2          
,aularpok1 he goes from home2           
,aulararau1 he uses to go from home4    
,second1 when the expression runs thus1 
he comes to do this or that1 it is      
turned in this manner4 ,ermigiartorpok1 
he comes to wash himself2               
,aglegiartorpok1 he comes to write4 ,and
 so in all other compositions4  ,but    

there are not only verbs compounded with
 one1 but sometimes with two1 three1 or 
more particles joined to the verb1 when 
there is a longer sentence to be        
expressed4 ,and for this reason1 the    
words and particles undergo a great many
 changes and variations1 inasmuch as    
they retain but certain radical letters1
 the rest either being thrown away and  
quite lost1 or else changed for others4 
,as for instance1                       
,aulisariartorasuarpok1 he made haste to
 go out a fishing4 ,here three verbs are
 joined together in one4 ,aulisarpok1 he
 fishes2 ,peartorpok1 to go about       
something2 and ,pinnesuarpok1 to make   
haste4 ,again1 ,aglekkinniarit1         
endeavour to write better4 ,here we have
 another threefold composition4 ,first1 
,aglekpok1 he writes2 then ,pekipok1 to 
mend1 or do better1 and at last         
,pinniarpok1 to endeavour4 ,from whence 
comes the verb ,aglikkinniarpok1 he     
endeavours to write better2 in the      
imperative mood1 ,aglekkinniarit1 as    

above4   ,the ,creed1 and the ,lord's   
,prayer1 translated into the ,greenland 
,language4  ,,article ,i4  ,operpunga   
,gud-mun ,attatavnut1 ajuakangitsomut1  
killagmik nunamiglo sennarsomut4        
,,article ,,ii4  ,operpunga ,jesus      
,christusmut1 ,ernetuanut1              
,nallegautimut1 ,annersamit helligmit   
pirsok1 ,niviarsamit ,mariamit          
erniursok2 anniartok ,pontius           
,pilatus-mit2 ,isektitaursok1 tokkorsok1
 illirsorto1 allernum akkartok4 ,ullut  
pingajuane tokkorsonit makitok2         
,killangmut ,kollartok2 ,angume ,gub    
tellerpiet tungane ipsiarsok2 tersanga  
amma tikiytsomaryok1 umarsullo          
tokongarsullo auiksartitsartorlugit4    
,,article ,,iii4  ,operpunga ,gub       
,annersanut1 opertokartoniglo nuname3   
,innungliglo helligniglo illegeinik1    
,synderronermiglo1 ,timiniglo           
umaromartonik1 tokkorsublo ,kingorna    
tokkoviungitsokartomik4 ,amen4   ,the   
,lord's ,prayer4  ,,nallekam ,,okausia4 
,attavut killangmepotit1 akkit          

usorolirsuk2 ,nallegavet aggerle2       
pekorset ,killangme nunam etog          
tamaikile3 ,tunnisigun ullume           
nekiksautivnik2 pissarauneta            
aketsorauta1 pisingilaguttog            
akectsortivut2 ,ursennartomut           
pisitsaraunata2 ajortomin annautigut3   
,nallegauet1 ,pisarlo1 usornartorlo     
pigangaukit isukangithomun4 ,amen4      
,,chap4 ,,xvii4       ,of the ,greenland
 ,trade1 and whether1 in promoting it1  
there is any      ,advantage to be      
expected4   ,the goods and commodities  
,greenland affords for the entertaining 
of commerce1 or traffic1 are whale      
blubber or fat1 and whale bones1 unicorn
 horns1 rein deer skins and hides1 seal 
and fox skins4 ,these wares they barter 
against merchandizes of our produce1 as 
coats and shirts made of white1 blue1   
red or striped linen or woollen cloth2  
as also knives1 hand-saws1 needles1     
hooks to angle with1 looking-glasses1   
and other such merchandize or hardwares3
 besides what they buy of wood1 as      

rafts1 poles1 deal boards1 chests2 and  
of brass and copper1 as kettles and the 
like1 tin dishes and plates2 for which  
they pay to the full price4 ,at the     
beginning of our late settlement in     
those parts the trade was much brisker  
than at present1 and much more          
profitable2 for foreign traders flocking
 thither in great numbers have so       
overstocked them with goods1 and        
undersold one another1 to draw the      
natives to them from others1 that the   
trade is considerably slackened and     
fallen4 ,yet ,i trust1 that1 if we once 
became masters of this trade1 as it in  
justice belongs to us1 by the right the 
,king of ,denmark lawfully claims to    
these countries as much as any kingdom  
or province subject to him2 ,i trust1   
that1 with this proviso1 the trade to   
,greenland would prove as profitable as 
any other whatsoever2 which has been    
evidenced not long ago1 when by his     
,majesty's special order foreign trade  
has been prohibited within a certain    

distance on each side of the colonies4  
,for if the lading of some ships with   
fish and train from ,finmark1 and others
 of fish1 train1 salt meat1 and butter  
from ,iceland and ,fero1 bring to the   
traders considerable profit2 who would  
question1 but the same or better        
advantage may be expected from the      
importing quantities of whale train1    
whale bones1 rein deer hides1 fox and   
seal skins1 which are of more value than
 the ,iceland or ,feroe8 ,and1 if the   
produce or commodities of ,greenland    
were formerly reckoned of that          
importance1 that they were deemed       
sufficient to maintain the ,king's      
table1 why not also at present8 provided
 ,greenland may by settlements and      
improvement retrieve its former         
abundance1 which is not impossible4  ,if
 the old lands1 formerly inhabited and  
manured by the ,norway colonies1 were   
anew peopled with men and cattle2 they  
would1 without doubt1 yield as much as  
either ,iceland or ,feroe1 seeing there 

is as good pasture ground as in those   
islands4 ,i shall forbear to mention    
salmon and cod fishing1 as it seems at  
present to be but of little or no       
importance1 especially on the ,west     
side2 though ,i am credibly informed by 
the natives1 that on the ,southern coast
 they catch abundance of fine large cod4
 ,yet this may be more than sufficiently
 compensated by the whale fishery on the
 ,north and the capture of seals on the 
,south1 which if rightly undertaken1 and
 with vigour set on foot1 will bring as 
much1 nay far more profit than the      
salmon and cod catching does in other   
places2 chiefly the seal capture1 which 
can be undertaken at very small         
expenses1 viz4 at the coast with strong 
nets1 with which they may catch many    
thousands in ,greenland2 which1 if      
hitherto not practised1 ought to be     
imputed to negligence and want of a good
 regulation4 ,in short1 ,greenland1 as  
we see1 is very convenient for trading1 
and may be very well worth one's while  

to take in hand4 ,but there is little to
 be done1 without an established and    
formed company of men of substance as   
well as resolution2 being altogether    
impossible and above the strength of any
 private man to master it and go through
 with it4     ,,chap4 ,,xviii4  ,the    
,religion1 or rather ,superstition1 of  
the ,greenlanders4   ,the ,greenlanders'
 ignorance of a ,creator would make one 
believe they were atheists1 or rather   
naturalists4 ,for1 when they have been  
asked from whence they thought that     
,heaven and ,earth had their origin1    
they have answered nothing1 but that it 
had always been so4 ,but if we consider1
 that they have some notion of the      
immortality of souls#cf1 and that there 
is another much happier life after this2
 moreover1 as they are addicted to      
different kinds of superstition1 and    
that they hold there is a ,spiritual    
,being1 which they call ,torngarsuk1 to 
whom they ascribe a supernatural power1 
though not the creation or the          

production of creatures 7of whose origin
 they tell many absurd and ridiculous   
stories71 all this1 ,i say1 supposes    
some sort of worship2 although they do  
not themselves1 out of their brutish    
stupidity1 understand or infer so much1 
or make use of the light of nature and  
the remaining spark of the image of ,god
 in their souls1 to consider the        
invisible being of ,god by his visible  
works1 which is the creation of the     
world4--,rom4 i4 ,for which reason1     
instead of attaining the knowledge of   
,god and true religion1 they are        
unhappily fallen into many gross        
superstitions4  ,but notwithstanding    
that all these superstitions are        
authorized by1 and grounded upon the    
notion they have of him they call       
,torngarsuk1 whom their lying angekuts  
or prophets hold for their oracle1 whom 
they consult on all occasions1 yet the  
commonalty know little or nothing of    
him1 except the name only3 nay even the 
angekuts themselves are divided in the  

whimsical ideas they have formed of his 
being2 some saying he is without any    
form or shape2 others giving him that of
 a bear1 others again pretending he has 
a large body and but one arm2 and some  
make him as little as a finger4 ,there  
are those who hold he is immortal1 and  
others1 that a puff of wind can kill    
him4 ,they assign him his abode in the  
lower regions of the ,earth1 where they 
tell you there is constantly fine       
sunshiny weather1 good water1 deer1 and 
fowls in abundance4 ,they also say he   
lives in the water2 wherefore1 when they
 come to any water1 of which they have  
not drank before1 and there be any old  
man in the company1 they make him drink 
first1 in order to take away its        
,torngarsuk1 or the malignant quality of
 the water1 which might make them sick  
and kill them4 ,they hold furthermore1  
that a spirit resides in the air1 which 
they name ,innertirrirsok1 that is1 the 
,moderator or ,restrainer1 because it is
 pursuant to his order1 that the        

angekuts command the people to restrain 
or abstain from certain things or       
actions1 that they may not come into    
harm's way4 ,according to their         
theology1 or mythology1 there is yet one
 spirit1 harbinger of the air1 whom they
 stile ,erloersortok1 which signifies a 
,gutter1 because he guts the deceased1  
and feeds upon their intestines4 ,his   
countenance1 they say1 is very ghastly  
and haggard1 hollow eyes and cheeks1    
like a body that is starved4  ,each     
element has its governor or president1  
which they call ,innu#cg2 from whence   
the angekuts receive their torngak1 or  
familiar spirits4 ,for every angekkok   
has a torngak1 who attends him1 after he
 has ten times conjured in the dark4    
,some have their own deceased parents   
for their torngak1 and others get theirs
 out of some of our nation1 who they say
 discharge their fire arms when they    
wait before the entry of the place where
 the angekkok performs his conjuration4 
,whether ,torngak and ,torngarsuk be one

 and the same thing ,i shall not decide2
 but certain it is1 that one is derived 
from the other4 ,from ,torngarsuk the   
angekuts pretend they learn the art of  
conjuring2 which they are taught in this
 method4 ,if one aspires to the office  
of an angekkok1 and has a mind to be    
initiated into these mysteries1 he must 
retire from the rest of mankind1 into   
some remote place1 from all commerce2   
there he must look for a large stone1   
near which he must sit down and invoke  
,torngarsuk1 who1 without delay1        
presents himself before him4 ,this      
presence so terrifies the new candidate 
of angekutism1 that he immediately      
sicken1 swoons away1 and dies2 and in   
this condition he lies for three whole  
days2 and then he comes to life again1  
arises in a newness of life1 and betakes
 himself to his home again4 ,the science
 of an angekkok consists of three       
things4 #a4 ,that he mutters certain    
spells over sick people1 in order to    
make them recover their former health4  

#b4 ,he communes with ,torngarsuk1 and  
from him receives instruction1 to give  
people advice what course they are to   
take in affairs1 that they may have     
success1 and prosper therein4 #c4 ,he is
 by the same informed of the time and   
cause of any body's death2 or for what  
reason any body comes to an untimely and
 uncommon end2 and if any fatality shall
 befal a man4 ,and though this lying    
spirit of the angekuts is oftentimes    
found out by their gross mistakes1 when 
the events do not answer their false    
predictions1 as commonly happens2 yet1  
for all that1 they are in great honour  
and esteem among this stupid and        
ignorant nation1 insomuch that nobody   
ever dare refuse the strictest obedience
 to what they command him in the name of
 ,torngarsuk1 fearing1 that1 in case of 
disobedience1 some great affliction and 
misfortune may happen to him4 ,among    
many other fibs1 and most impudent lies1
 they make also these silly stupid      
wretches believe1 that they can1 with   

hands and feet tied1 mount up to        
,heaven1 and see how matters stand      
there2 and likewise descend to ,hell1 or
 the lower regions of the ,earth1 where 
the fierce ,torngarsuk keeps his court4 
,a young angekkok must not undertake    
this journey but in the fall of the     
year1 by reason1 that then the lowermost
 ,heaven1 which they take the rainbow to
 be1 is nearest to the ,earth4  ,the    
farce or imposture is thus acted3 a     
number of spectators assemble in the    
evening at one of their houses1 where1  
after it is grown dark1 every one being 
seated1 the angekkok causes himself to  
be tied1 his head between his legs and  
his hands behind his back1 and a drum is
 laid at his side2 thereupon1 after the 
windows are shut and the light put out1 
the assembly sings a ditty1 which1 they 
say1 is the composition of their        
ancestors2 when they have done singing  
the angekkok begins with conjuring1     
muttering1 and brawling2 invokes        
,torngarsuk1 who instantly presents     

himself1 and converses with him 7here   
the masterly juggler knows how to play  
his trick1 in changing the tone of his  
voice1 and counterfeiting one different 
from his own1 which makes the too       
credulous hearers believe1 that this    
counterfeited voice is that of          
,torngarsuk1 who converses with the     
angekkok47 ,in the mean while he works  
himself loose1 and1 as they believe1    
mounts up into ,heaven through the roof 
of the house1 and passes through the air
 till he arrives into the highest of    
heavens1 where the souls of angekkut    
poglit1 that is1 the chief angekkuts1   
reside1 by whom he gets information of  
all he wants to know4 ,and all this is  
done in the twinkling of an eye4        
,concerning the angekkut poglit1 whom we
 just now mentioned1 as they pass for   
the heads of the clergy1 and are        
reckoned the most eminent and wisest of 
all1 they also must pass through the    
inferior orders1 and several hard       
trials1 before they can attain to this  

high degree of pre-eminency2 for none is
 deemed worthy of such a dignity1 but he
 that has made his noviciateship in the 
lower rank1 as an ordinary angekkok4    
,the trial he must undergo1 is this3    
they tie his hands and feet1 as         
aforesaid1 and after the light is put   
out1 and they are all left in darkness  
7that nobody may see how the trick is   
played1 and their imposture be          
discovered71 then they pretend that a   
white bear enters the room1 takes hold  
of his great toe with his teeth1 and    
dragging him along to the sea shore1    
jumps with him into the sea1 where a    
morse is ready1 and takes hold of him by
 his privy parts1 devouring him1        
together with the white bear4 ,a little 
while after all his bones are thrown in 
upon the floor1 one after another1 not  
one missing2 and then his soul rises up 
off the ground1 which gathers the bones1
 and animates the whole body again1 and 
up starts the man1 a hale and entire as 
ever he was2 and thus he is made an     

angekkok poglik4  ,the angekkuts1 as    
before observed1 are kept in great      
honour and esteem1 and beloved and      
cherished as a wise and useful set of   
men2 they are also well rewarded for    
their service1 when it is wanted4 ,but1 
on the contrary1 there is another sort  
of conjurers or sorcerers1 especially   
some decrepid old women1 which they call
 illiseersut1 or witches1 who persuade  
themselves and others1 that1 by the     
virtue of their spells and witchcraft   
they can hurt people in their life and  
goods4 ,these are not upon the same     
footing with the angekkuts2 for as soon 
as any one incurs only the suspicion of 
such demeanor1 he or she is hated and   
detested by every body1 and at last made
 away with1 without mercy1 as a plague  
to mankind1 and not deemed worthy to    
live4  ,moreover the angekkuts abuse the
 people's credulity1 making them        
believe1 that they can cure all sorts of
 diseases2 though they apply such       
remedies as have no virtue in them to   

cure1 such as muttering of spells1 and  
blowing upon the sick bodies2 wherein   
they resemble to a hair those conjurers 
of which the prophet ,isaiah speaks1    
chapter viii1 verse #ai4  ,and if by    
chance any one1 who has been under these
 jugglers' hands1 recovers1 they do not 
fail to ascribe it to the virtue of     
their juggling tricks4 ,at times they   
use this way of curing the sick2 they   
lay him upon his back1 and tie a ribbon1
 or a string1 round his head1 having a  
stick fastened to the other end of the  
string1 with which they lift up the sick
 person's head from the ground1 and let 
it down again2 and at every lift he     
communes with his ,torgak1 or familiar  
spirit1 about the state of the patient1 
whether he shall recover or not2 now1 if
 his head is heavy in lifting it1 it is 
with them a sign of death2 if light1 of 
recovery#ch4 ,notwithstanding all this1 
,i am loth to believe1 that1 in these   
spells and conjurings1 there is any real
 commerce with the devil2 for to me it  

clearly appears1 that there is nothing  
in it but mere fibs1 juggling tricks1   
and impostures1 made use of by these    
crafty fellows for the sake of filthy   
lucre1 for they are well paid for their 
pains4 ,nevertheless1 it cannot be      
denied1 but that the evil spirit has a  
hand in all this1 and is the chief actor
 upon this stage1 to keep these poor    
wretches in their chains1 and hinder    
them from coming to the true knowledge  
of ,god4  ,the angekkuts can also       
persuade whom they please1 that they    
have no souls1 especially if they are in
 a bad state of health1 pretending they 
have the power to create new souls in   
them1 provided they pay them well for   
it1 which the ignorant fools are very   
willing to do4 ,they prescribe to all   
rules of conduct and behaviour in       
different cases1 which rules none dare  
refuse to live up to with the greatest  
exactness imaginable2 as for example1 if
 any dies in a house1 those of the house
 cannot1 for a set time1 do all sorts of

 work2 especially the relations of the  
deceased are obliged to abstain1 not    
only from certain works1 but likewise   
from certain victuals4  ,if a patient be
 under the hands of an angekkok1 he must
 live by rule1 which they are accustomed
 to observe so exactly1 that even when  
we have assisted many of them with our  
medicaments1 they have always demanded  
what sort of diet they were to keep4    
,women in childbed are to abstain from  
working1 and from certain victuals1 viz4
 flesh meat1 which their own husbands   
have not taken1 or that of a deer1 whose
 entrails are not sound1 but damaged4   
,the first week after the delivery they 
eat nothing but fish1 afterwards they   
are allowed meat4 ,the bones they pick  
in this state must not be carried out of
 doors4 ,after the first childbed1 a    
woman is not allowed to eat of the head 
or liver4 ,they must not eat in the open
 air4 ,during their lying-in they have  
their water pails for themselves alone2 
if any unwittingly should drink of this 

water1 the rest must be thrown away4    
,their husbands must forbear working for
 some weeks1 neither must they drive any
 trade during that time3 likewise if any
 body be sick1 they do not care to      
meddle with any trade4 ,they are not    
allowed to eat or drink bareheaded4     
,they pull off one of their boots1 and  
lay it under the bowl which they eat out
 of1 to the end 7as they imagine7 that  
the infant1 being a male1 may become a  
good seal catcher4 ,during the infancy  
of the child1 they dare not boil any    
thing over the lamp1 nor let any        
strangers light a fire with them2 and   
many more fooleries to be observed#ci4  
,it is customary among them for married 
women to wash and cleanse themselves    
after their months1 that their husbands 
may not catch a distemper and die4      
,likewise1 if they have happened to     
touch a dead corpse1 they immediately   
cast away the clothes they have then on2
 and for this reason they always put on 
their old clothes when they go to a     

burying1 in which they agree with the   
,jews1 as in many other usages and      
ceremonies2 for example1 to bewail the  
loss of their virginity2 to mark        
themselves upon their skin2 to cut their
 hairs round the head1 which the ,lord  
forbids the ,jews to do1 ,levit4 xix4   
,when ,i consider this and many other of
 their customs1 which seem to be of a   
,jewish extraction1 ,i am not far from  
acceding to the opinion of a certain    
famous writer1 concerning the           
,americans2 among whom as he found      
sundry ,jewish rites and ceremonies1 he 
took them to descend from ,jews1 or     
rather from some of the ten tribes of   
,israel1 who were led into the ,assyrian
 captivity1 and afterwards dispersed    
into unknown countries4--,see hereon    
,espars1 #a4 iv4  ,a superstition very  
common among them is1 to load themselves
 with amulets or pomanders dangling     
about their necks and arms1 which       
consist of some pieces of old wood1     
stones or bones1 bills and claws of     

birds1 or any thing else1 which their   
fancy suggests to them2 which amulets1  
according to their silly opinion1 have a
 wonderful virtue to preserve those that
 wear them from diseases and other      
misfortunes1 and gives them luck to good
 captures4 ,to render barren women      
fertile or teeming1 they take old pieces
 of the soles of our shoes to hang about
 them2 for1 as they take our nation to  
be more fertile1 and of a stronger      
disposition of body than theirs1 they   
fancy the virtue of our body            
communicates itself to our clothing4    
,concerning the creation and origin of  
all things1 they have little to say1 but
 they think all has been as it ever will
 be4 ,nevertheless they abound in fables
 in regard to these matters4 ,their tale
 of the origin of mankind runs thus3 at 
the beginning one man1 viz4 a           
,greenlander1 sprung out of the ground1 
who got a wife out of a little          
hillock#dj4 ,from these are descended   
lineally the ,greenlanders2 which may   

pass for a remnant1 though an           
adulteration from the true tradition of 
the origin of man4 ,but as to us        
foreigners1 whom they stile ,kablunt    
7that is1 of a strange extraction71 they
 tell a most ridiculous story1 importing
 our pedigree from a race of dogs2 they 
say1 that a ,greenland woman once being 
in labour1 brought forth at the same    
time both children and whelps3 these    
last she put into an old shoe1 and      
committed them to the mercy of the      
waves1 with these words2 ,get ye gone   
from hence and grow up to be ,kablunts4 
,this1 they say1 is the reason1 why the 
,kablunts always live upon the sea2 and 
the ships1 they say1 have the very same 
shape as their shoes1 being round before
 and behind4  ,the reason why men die1  
they tell us1 is1 that a woman of their 
nation once uttered these words2        
,tokkolarlutik okko pillit1 sillarsoak  
rettulisavet1 ,let them die one after   
another2 for else the world cannot hold 
them4 ,others relate it in this manner3 

two of the first men contended with one 
another1 one said1 ,kaut sarlune        
unnuinnarluna1 innuit tokkosarlutik2    
that is1 ,let there be day1 and let     
there be night1 and let not men die4    
,the second said1 ,unnuinnarlune1       
kausunane1 innuit tokkosinnatik2 that   
is1 ,let there be nothing but night1 and
 no day1 and let men live2 and after a  
long contention the first saying got the
 day4 ,of the origin of fishes and other
 sea animals they tell a ridiculous     
story1 viz4 an old man was once cutting 
chips off of a piece of wood2 with these
 chips he rubbed himself between the    
thighs1 and threw them into the sea1    
whereupon they immediately became       
fishes4 ,but of a certain fish called   
hay1 they derive his production from    
this accident1 that a woman washing her 
hairs in her own water1 a blast of wind 
came and carried away the clout with    
which she dried her hairs1 and out of   
that clout was produced a hay fish2 and 
for this reason they say1 the flesh of  

this fish has got the smell of urine4   
,they have got no notion of any         
different state of souls after death2   
but they fancy that all the deceased go 
into the land of the souls1 as they term
 it4 ,nevertheless they assign two      
retreats for departed souls1 viz4 some  
go to ,heaven1 others to the centre of  
the ,earth2 but this lower retirement is
 in their opinion the pleasantest1      
inasmuch as they enjoy themselves in a  
delicious country1 where the sun shines 
continually1 with an inexhaustible stock
 of all sorts of choice provision4 ,but 
this is only the receptacle of such     
women as die in labour1 and of those    
that1 going a whale fishing1 perish at  
sea2 this being their reward1 to        
compensate the hardships they have      
undergone in this life2 all the rest    
flock to ,heaven4  ,in the centre of the
 ,earth1 which they reckon the best     
place of all1 they have fixed the       
residence of ,torngarsuk and his        
grandame1 or 7as others will have it7   

his lady daughter1 a true termagant and 
ghastly woman1 to whose description1    
though already made in my continuation  
of the relations of ,greenland1 some    
time ago published1 ,i shall yet allow a
 place in this treatise1 and is as      
follows4 ,she is said to dwell in the   
lower parts of the earth under the seas1
 and has the empire over all fishes and 
sea-animals1 as unicorns1 morses1 seals1
 and the like4 ,the bason placed under  
her lamp1 into which the train oil of   
the lamp drips down1 swarms with all    
kinds of sea fowls1 swimming in and     
hovering about it4 ,at the entry of her 
abode is a corps de garde of sea dogs1  
who mount the guard1 and stand sentinels
 at her gates to keep out the crown of  
petitioners#da4 ,none can get admittance
 there but angekuts1 provided they are  
accompanied by their ,torngak1 or       
familiar spirits1 and not otherwise4 ,in
 their journey thither they first pass  
through the mansions of all the souls of
 the deceased1 which look as well1 if   

not better1 than ever they did in this  
world1 and want for nothing4 ,after they
 have passed through this region1 they  
come to a very long1 broad1 and deep    
whirlpool1 which they are to cross over1
 there being nothing to pass upon but a 
great wheel like ice1 which turns about 
with a surprising rapidity1 and by the  
means of this wheel the spirit helps his
 angekkok to get over4 ,this difficulty 
being surmounted1 the next thing they   
encounter is a large kettle1 in which   
live seals are put to be boiled2 and at 
last they arrive1 with much ado1 at the 
residence of the devil's grandame1 where
 the familiar spirit takes the angekkok 
by the hand through the strong guard of 
sea dogs4 ,the entry is large enough1   
the road that leads is as narrow as a   
small rope1 and on both sides nothing to
 lay hold on1 or to support one2 besides
 that1 there is underneath a most       
frightful abyss or bottomless pit4      
,within this is the apartment of the    
infernal goddess1 who offended at this  

unexpected visit1 shows a most ghastly  
and wrathful countenance1 pulling the   
hair off her head3 she thereupon seizes 
a wet wing of a fowl1 which she lights  
in the fire1 and claps to their noses1  
which makes them very faint and sick1   
and they become her prisoners4 ,but the 
enchanter or angekkok 7being beforehand 
instructed by his ,torngak1 how to act  
his part in this dismal expedition7     
takes hold of her by the hair1 and drubs
 and bangs her so long1 till she loses  
her strength and yields2 and in this    
combat his familiar spirit does not     
stand idle1 but lays about her with     
might and main4 ,round the infernal     
goddess's face hangs the aglerrutit 7the
 signification of which is to be found  
in my son's journals7 which the angekkok
 endeavours to rob her of4 ,for this is 
the charm1 by which she draws all fishes
 and sea animals to her dominion1 which 
no sooner is she deprived of1 but       
instantly the sea animals in shoals     
forsake her1 and resort with all speed  

to their wonted shelves1 where the      
,greenlanders catch them in great       
plenty4 ,when this great business is    
done1 the angekkok with his ,torngak    
proud of success make the best of their 
way home again1 where they find the road
 smooth1 and easy to what it was before4
         99       99       99       99  
99  ,as to the souls of the dead1 in    
their travel to this happy country1 they
 meet with a sharp pointed stone1 upon  
which the angekkuts tell them they must 
slide or glide down upon their breech1  
as there is no other passage to get     
through1 and this stone is besmeared    
with blood2 perhaps1 by this mystical or
 hieroglyphical image1 they thereby     
signify the adversities and tribulations
 those have to struggle with1 who desire
 to attain to happiness4     ,,chap4    
,,xix4       ,the ,greenlanders'        
,astronomy1 or their ,thoughts          
concerning the ,sun1      ,moon1 ,stars1
 and ,planets4   ,the notions the       
,greenlanders have of the origin of     

heavenly lights1 as ,sun1 ,moon1 and    
,stars1 are very nonsensical2 in that   
they pretend that they have formerly    
been so many of their ancestors1 who on 
different accounts were lifted up to    
,heaven and became such glorious        
celestial bodies4  ,their silly stories 
concerning this matter have been related
 in the continuation to the ,greenland  
,memoirs1 or relations1 but as this book
 very likely may not come to the hands  
of every body1 ,i shall shortly remember
 some of them here4 ,the ,moon1 as they 
will have it1 has been a young man1     
called ,anningait1 or ,anningasina2     
whose sister was the ,sun1 named        
,malina1 or ,ajut 7by which latter name 
they call any handsome woman1 for whom  
they have a value1 ,ajuna47 ,the reason 
7why these two were taken up into       
,heaven7 they give1 is this3 there were 
once a number of young men and women    
assembled to play together in a house   
made of snow 7according to their custom 
in the winter season71 when the ,moon or

 ,anningait1 who was deeply in love with
 his sister1 who assisted at this       
assembly1 was used every night to put   
out the light1 that he might caress her 
undiscovered2 but she not liking these  
stolen caresses1 once blackened her     
hands with soot1 that she might mark the
 hands1 face1 and clothes of her unknown
 lover1 who in the dark made addresses  
to her1 and by that discover who he was3
 hence1 they say1 come the spots that   
are observed in the moon2 for as he wore
 a coat of a fine white rein deer skin1 
it was all over besmeared with soot2    
hereupon ,malina1 or the ,sun1 went out 
to light a bit of moss2 ,anningait1 or  
the ,moon1 did the same1 but the flame  
of his moss was extinguished2 this makes
 the ,moon look like a fiery coal1 and  
not shine so bright as the ,sun4 ,the   
,moon then run after the ,sun round     
about the house to catch her2 but she1  
to get rid of him1 flew up into the air1
 and the ,moon pursuing her1 did        
likewise2 and thus they still continue  

to pursue one another1 though the ,sun's
 career is much above that of the       
,moon#db4  ,they also tell us1 that the 
,moon is yet obliged to seek for his    
livelihood upon the earth and sea1 in   
catching of seals1 as a food he formerly
 was used to2 which they pretend he is  
doing1 when he appears not in the air3  
nay1 they do not stick to say1 that she 
now and then comes down to give their   
wives a visit1 and caress them2 for     
which reason no woman dare sleep lying  
upon her back1 without she first spits  
upon her fingers and rubs her belly with
 it4  ,for the same reason the young    
maids are afraid to stare long at the   
moon1 imagining they may get a child by 
the bargain4 ,during the eclipse of the 
sun no man dare stir out of the house2  
and likewise when the moon is eclipsed1 
no woman goes abroad1 because they fancy
 that both hate the sex of the other4   
,the sun for joy puts on her pendants1  
or ear-bobs2 the reason of which they   
take to be the hatred she bears against 

her brother1 which also reaches to his  
sex4 ,as on the contrary1 the ,greenland
 women wear their pendants at the birth 
of a boy1 because so useful a creature  
is come into the world4 ,their notion   
about the stars is1 that some of them   
have been men1 and other different sorts
 of animals and fishes4 ,the faint light
 of some stars they attribute to their  
eating the kidney2 and brightness of    
others to their feeding upon liver4     
,they give also names to many stars and 
constellations1 viz4 the three stars in 
the belt of ,orion1 they name ,siektut1 
that is separated2 because these three1 
they say1 before their metempsychosis1  
or rather metamorphosis1 were three     
honest ,greenlanders1 who being out at  
sea1 a seal catching1 were bewildered1  
and not being able to find the shore    
again1 were taken up into ,heaven4      
,ursa ,major1 the great bear star1 is   
styled by those that dwell in #fd1      
,tugto1 or rein deer2 while they that   
live in the bay of ,disco at #fi1 call  

it ,asselluit1 the name of a tree1 to   
which they tie their line when they     
shoot seals4 ,taurus1 the second sign in
 the ,zodiac1 is named ,kellukturset1 or
 kennel of hounds1 who seem to have a   
bear among them2 by this constellation  
they reckon their hours by night4       
,iversuk1 that is1 two persons that     
contend with songs or verses in taunting
 one another1 as is customary among the 
,greenlanders4 ,these two stars are in  
the constellation ,taurus1 of which     
heretofore1 ,aldebaran or ,nennerroak1  
that is1 a light which lights the two   
singers4 ,canis ,major is called        
,nelleraglek1 which is the name of a man
 amongst them2 this they say has got on 
a coat of rein deer's skin4 ,gemini1    
,auriga1 and ,capella1 are named        
,killaub ,kuttuk1 that is1 the breast   
bone of ,heaven4  ,when two stars seem  
to meet together1 they say1 that they   
are visiting one another2 others will   
have it to be two women1 who being      
rivals1 take one another by the hair4   

,concerning thunder and lightning1 they 
say that two old women live together in 
one house in the air1 who now and then  
fall out and quarrel about a thick and  
stiff outstretched seal skin 7because   
such a skin1 if beaten as a drum1 has   
some likeness to the noise of thunder72 
while they are thus by the ears         
together1 down comes the house with     
great bouncing and cracking1 and the    
lamps are broken1 the fires and broken  
pieces fly about in the air1 and this1  
in their philosophy1 is thunder and     
lightning4  ,in their astronomical      
system1 the heaven turn about upon the  
point of a huge rock4 ,the snow1        
according to their fancy1 is the blood  
of the dead1 on account that it turns   
reddish if you keep it in the mouth4    
,the rain comes from a ditch or wear    
above in ,heaven2 when it overflows     
there1 it rains here below4  ,they have 
no calendar or almanacks1 nor do they   
compute or measure the time by weeks or 
years1 but only by months2 beginning    

their computation from the ,sun's first 
rising above their horizon in the       
winter2 from whence they tell the month1
 to know exactly the season1 in which   
every sort of fishes1 sea animals1 or   
birds seek the land2 according to which 
they order their business4  ,as         
nonsensical now as these notions of the 
,greenlanders are 7as they in reality   
are71 yet they come short of the        
,egyptian ,king ,ptolemy's infatuation1 
who by the loathsome flattery of his    
astronomers was persuaded that his      
,queen ,berenice's head of hair was     
translated into ,heaven and astrified1  
if ,i may say so2 which constellation to
 this day goes by the name of ,coma     
,berenices1 or ,berenice's hair2 and    
what travellers relate of ,china and the
 ,east ,indies1 where some are of       
opinion1 that the ,sun's eclipse is     
nothing but that a certain devil or     
sprite sometimes swallows up the ,sun1  
and then again spews it out4     ,,chap4
 ,,xx4       ,the ,capacity of the      

,greenlanders1 and their ,inclination   
towards      the ,knowledge of ,god1 and
 the ,christian ,religion2 and by what  
,means      this may easily be brought  
about4   ,as the ,greenlanders are      
naturally very stupid and indolent2 so  
are they likewise very little disposed  
to comprehend and consider the divine   
truths which we expound to them2 and    
notwithstanding people in years seem to 
approve of the ,christian doctrine1 yet 
it is with a surprising indifference and
 coldness4 ,for they can neither        
comprehend the miserable condition they 
are in2 nor do they rightly understand  
and value the exceeding great mercy and 
loving kindness ,god has shown towards  
mankind in his dear ,son ,christ ,jesus1
 so as to move them to any desire and   
longing after it2 some few excepted4    
,this is to me an undeniable evidence   
that the carnally-minded man cannot     
comprehend the things that belong to    
,god2 for to him they seem to be        
foolish1 and he cannot know them1 as the

 ,apostle speaks1 #a ,cor4 ii4 ,but as  
they in general are so credulous1 that  
one can make them believe any thing1 so 
they are likewise in this grand affair4 
,they never question what they are      
taught of ,god and ,christ2 but at the  
same time it never takes any rooting in 
their mind1 because it passes without   
any consideration and feeling4 ,for     
which reason they do not contradict or  
dispute with us the matters proposed2   
and very few have offered any           
objections1 or desired any difficulty to
 be explained4 ,and as their behaviour  
is silly and childish1 so we have used  
the same method in teaching them1 as we 
do to instruct little children2         
inculcating the ,christian truths into  
their mind by frequent repetitions1 and 
making use of simple and obvious        
comparisons1 which1 ,i thank ,god       
,almighty1 has not wanted his blessing4 
,for ,i have perceived in some the      
working of his grace in a serious       
amendment of their lives2 and their     

endeavours have been to advance in the  
way to perfection1 though all as yet is 
but a beginning and infancy1 as we have 
mentioned in the last year's ,memoirs or
 ,relations of ,greenland4  ,it is a    
matter which cannot be questioned1 that 
if you will make a ,christian out of a  
mere savage and wild man1 you must first
 make him a reasonable man1 and the next
 step will be easier4 ,this is          
authorised and confirmed by our         
,saviour's own method4 ,he makes a      
beginning from the earthly things2 he   
proposes the mysteries of the kingdom of
 ,god in parables and similitudes4 ,the 
first care taken in the conversion of   
,heathens is to remove out of the way   
all obstacles which may hinder their    
conversion1 and render them unfit to    
receive the ,christian doctrine1 before 
any thing successfully can be undertaken
 in their behalf4  ,it would contribute 
a great deal to forward their           
conversion1 if they could by degrees be 
brought into a settled way of life1 and 

to abandon this sauntering and wandering
 about from place to place to seek their
 livelihood4 ,but this cannot be hoped  
until a ,christian nation comes to be   
settled among them 7,i mean in such     
places where the ground is fit for      
tillage and pasturage7 to teach them1   
and by little and little accustom them  
to a quiet and more useful way of life1 
than that which they now follow4  ,they 
should also be kept under some          
discipline1 and restrained from their   
foolish superstitions1 and from the     
silly tricks and wicked impostures of   
their angekkuts1 which ought to be      
altogether prohibited and punished4 ,yet
 my meaning is1 not that they1 by force 
and constraint1 should be compelled to  
embrace our religion1 but to use gentle 
methods4 ,is it not allowed in the      
church of ,christ to make use of        
,christian discipline at times and      
seasons1 with prudence and due          
moderation2 which is a powerful means to
 advance the growth of piety and        

devotion8 ,how much more is it necessary
 to apply the same means here to grub up
 an untilled ground1 where a new church 
is to be planted8 ,else it would be the 
same imprudence as to throw good seed   
into thorns and briars1 which would     
choak the seed4  ,but as the chief fruit
 of our labours and teaching is to be   
expected from the growing youth1 so if  
some good regulations and small         
foundations were laid for the bringing  
up a number of children in the          
,christian faith and piety1 no doubt    
,god would prosper it2 inasmuch as these
 poor children and growing youth are    
very tractable and teachable1 and good  
natured2 showing no inclination or      
propensity to vice4 ,neither do they    
want capacity2 for ,i have found they   
will take any thing as soon as any of   
our own children4 ,now if these gifts or
 natural talents were forwarded by the  
gifts of grace1 who would question their
 growth and advancement in the          
,christian faith and virtues1 which     

would ripen to the full harvest of      
eternal happiness8 ,good ,god6 how easy 
a thing would it be to help these poor  
wretches out of their misery1 if those  
that ,god has blessed with wealth were  
heavenly minded1 and would be sensible  
of the wretched condition of their      
fellow creatures1 and contribute out of 
their abundance to the founding of a    
school in these parts1 and the providing
 of other most necessary things6  ,his  
,majesty1 out of his wonted most        
glorious zeal for the growth and        
advancement of the church of ,christ1   
has most graciously provided1 by a      
considerable sum of money yearly set    
apart1 for the ,greenland ,missionaries'
 entertainment1 which royal bounty      
continues to this day2 for which        
goodness the most gracious ,god will    
bless his ,majesty and all the royal    
hereditary house1 and be their reward   
for ever4 ,but as a good deal of this   
bounty money must be employed in the    
promoting of trade 7without which the   

mission could not subsist71 but little  
remains for promoting the proper end of 
the mission1 which is the conversion of 
the ,heathens1 in which at present are  
employed no more than four missionaries1
 and two catechists1 besides some few   
charity children belonging to both      
colonies1 whose entertainment is to be  
provided for4 ,hitherto we have not been
 able to do great matters1 but contented
 ourselves with some excursions here and
 there instructing the natives2 who     
likewise1 when they have had an         
opportunity1 come to us with their      
families to be instructed4 ,but as these
 excursions of ours1 and those visits of
 theirs have not been very frequent1 and
 only for a short time1 by reason of the
 impossibility of travelling at all     
seasons1 which has obliged us to leave  
them for a while to deal for themselves2
 it is not to be expected that our      
pains-taking should have had that       
success1 which would attend it1 if there
 were missionaries settled in different 

stations amongst them4 ,for in several  
years we count but between twenty and   
thirty aged persons1 and a hundred and  
odd young ones1 that have been found    
capable to receive the holy sacrament of
 baptism4 ,if amongst ourselves we had  
no schools1 nor other pious foundations1
 for the instruction and ,christian     
education of youth and old people1 pray 
what great feats would one or two       
teachers in a whole country be able to  
do1 by once or twice a year taking a    
journey throughout the land1 and        
preaching a passage sermon8 ,the        
apostles of ,christ did not think this  
method sufficient2 but after they had   
preached the word of ,god up and down1  
they besides ordained and constituted   
teachers and catechists everywhere4 ,and
 if so wholesome a method be followed in
 ,greenland1 who will question a happier
 success8  ,and this is all ,i at       
present have to say of the affairs of   
,greenland2 leaving it to the judgment  
of others to be made out and decided1   

whether ,greenland is a country that    
deserves to be improved and taken care  
of1 or no8 ,and whether its inhabitants 
may be called happy1 or no8 ,all things 
well pondered1 both the affirmative and 
negative may be true1 without the least 
contradiction4 ,for ,greenland can pass 
for no better than a dismal and pitiful 
country1 in regard to the greatest part 
of it1 viz4 all the inland country1     
which is perpetually covered with ice   
and snow1 that never melts1 and         
therefore of no use to mankind2 and as  
to the remaining part1 on the sea side1 
most of it lies uncultivated and        
uninhabited4 ,but here it may again be  
said1 that as to the first part1 or the 
inland country1 it is a thing that is   
past remedy2 but as to the last part1 or
 the sea side1 it may be put in a better
 state by settlements1 and manuring1 so 
that it may recover its former          
fertility2 and thus it might be reckoned
 a good and profitable country1 provided
 the formerly inhabited tracks of land  

were anew settled and peopled4 ,i will  
forbear to mention the great wealth and 
richness1 which lies hidden in the      
,greenland seas1 and can never be       
exhausted4  ,from the land ,i will go to
 the inhabitants1 which every body will 
think more wretched than happy1         
considered as destitute of the true     
knowledge of their ,creator2 and besides
 lead but very poor and despicable      
lives4 ,the knowledge of ,god is        
undoubtedly that which affords the      
greatest happiness to mankind2 as the   
want of it makes one the most wretched  
of all beings4 ,but who would dare to   
deny it1 if ,i should find out somebody 
yet more wretched than they8 ,and such  
there are who have been blessed with the
 true knowledge of ,god2 yet do         
nevertheless refuse him that obedience1 
which1 as our ,creator and ,master1 and 
in regard of our redemption and a       
thousand other particular kindnesses1 he
 has the best of titles to demand it    
upon1 according as he requires it of us 

in his holy ,word4 ,if the life of the  
,greenlanders1 which we call poor and   
despicable1 with respect to morality1 be
 compared to that of the most pretended 
,christians2 ,i am afraid they will     
confound others on the great ,day of    
,judgment4 ,for though they have no law1
 yet by the light of nature do some of  
the works of the law1 as the apostle    
says1 ,rom4 ii4 ,what thoughts will any 
one harbour1 who seriously considers the
 predominant passions1 as greediness    
after gain1 covetousness1 unmeasured    
ambition and pride1 sumptuous1          
voluptuous1 and prodigal lives2 envy1   
hatred1 and mutual persecutions1 and    
innumerable other vices and crimes of   
most ,christians8 ,can any one help     
thinking1 but that such evil doers 7the 
remotest from the life1 which is ,god   
alone7 must be deemed the most unhappy  
of all8 ,whilst on the other hand1 the  
,greenlanders pass their lives1 as ,i   
may say1 in a natural innocence and     
simplicity4 ,their desires do not extend

 farther than to necessary things2 pomp 
and pride is unknown to them2 hatred1   
envy1 and persecution never plagued     
them2 neither do they affect the        
dominion over one another4 ,in short1   
every one is contented with his own     
state and condition1 and are not        
tormented with unnecessary cares4 ,is   
not this the greatest happiness of this 
life8 ,o happy people6 what better      
things can one wish you1 than what you  
already possess8 ,have you no riches8   
yet poverty does not trouble you4 ,have 
you no superfluity8 yet you suffer no   
want4 ,is there no pomp and pride to be 
seen among you8 neither is there any    
slight or scorn to be met with4 ,is     
there no nobility or high rank amongst  
them8 neither is there any slavery or   
bondage4 ,what is sweeter than liberty8 
,and what is happier than contentedness8
 ,but one thing is yet wanting3 ,i mean1
 the saving knowledge of ,god and his   
dear son ,christ ,jesus1 in which alone 
consists eternal life and happiness4    

,john xvii4 ,and this is what we offer  
you1 in preaching to you the holy       
,gospel4  ,now1 ,god1 who bade light    
shine forth in darkness1 enlighten your 
hearts1 in the light of the knowledge of
 ,god's glorious appearance in and      
through ,christ ,jesus4 ,may he deliver 
your souls from the slavery of the      
,devil1 and of sinful lusts1 as you are 
free from corporeal bondage1 to the end 
that you always may be free with the    
,lord both in soul and body4 ,amen4     
,,the ,,end4                            
,,charles ,,wood1 ,printer1             
,poppin's ,court1 ,fleet ,street1       
,london4   ,,footnotes3  #a ,torfi      
,gronlandia ,antiqua ,havni1 #agjf1 p4  
#af2 see also ,peyrere ,relation du     
,groenland1 p4 #hd4 ,these two          
authorities are principally followed4   
,peyrere's work is in ,recueil de       
,voyages au ,nord1 tome premier4  #b    
,torfus1 p4 #ac1 8medias alpes40  #c    
,torfus1 p4 #ad4  #d ,ibid41 p4 #ai4  #e
 ,peyrere4  #f ,torfus possessed three  

versions of this account in ,german1    
,danish1 and ,icelandic4 ,his narrative 
runs1--,the most ,eastern settlement of 
,greenland lies under the promontory of 
,herjolfsness1 and is called            
,skagefiord4 ,here is an uncultivated   
mountain1 called ,barrafell4 ,at the    
mouth is a long sandbank 7pulvinus      
longus71 stretched across1 so that no   
ships can enter1 except when the water  
is raised to a great height by the wind 
and tide4 ,at that time numbers of      
whales crowd into the bay4 ,here is a   
never-failing fishery1 which is part of 
the episcopal domain4  #g ,torfus and   
,peyrere4  #h ,torfus says1 8ubi publica
 in sylvis venatio40 ,of what trees were
 these woods composed8 ,peyrere1 copying
 the ,icelandic ,chronicle1 says1 8,o il
 se fait grande chasse de toutes sortes 
de bestes1 et entre autres de quantit   
d'ours blancs40  #i ,torfi ,hist4 p4    
#de4  #aj ,peyrere's words are1 8il y a 
une maison royale nomme ,fos40  #aa     
,torfus calls it 8villa magnifica40  #ab

 ,torfus says1 8rusticorum vill40  #ac  
,peyrere4  #ad ,doctor ,wormius1 who was
 famed for his great research in        
,northern antiquities1 told ,peyrere1   
that these savages1 the aborigines of   
,greenland1 inhabited one side of the   
bay of ,kindelfiord1 in the ,western    
district1 and that the ,norwegians had a
 settlement on the opposite bank4 ,when1
 then1 the author of the ,icelandic     
,chronicle said1 that the ,skrellings   
possessed all the ,westerbygdt1 he meant
 only the country to the ,west of this  
bay4 ,a small party of ,norwegians1 who 
had passed over to the ,western bank1   
were destroyed by the ,skrellings4 ,this
 caused the ,viceroy of ,norway1 who is 
called judge of ,greenland1 to dispatch 
a ship with a large force to revenge    
this affront4 ,but the savages1 at the  
sight of this vessel1 took to flight and
 concealed themselves in the woods and  
rocks2 which occasioned ,ivar ,bert to  
represent the country as destitute of   
inhabitants4  #ae ,angrim ,jonas1 of    

,iceland1 according to ,peyrere1 says   
expressly1 8,fundata in ,garde          
,episcopalis residentia in sinu         
,eynatsfiord ,groenlandi ,orientalis40  
#af ,peyrere1 p4 #ii4  #ag ,p4 #ii4 ,see
 also ,crantz1 vol4 i4 p4 #gh4  #ah     
,peyrere's account of ,greenland is     
dated from the ,hague1 #ahth ,june1     
#afdf4  #ai ,vol4 i4 p4 #bgh4  #bj ,the 
,moravian mission in ,greenland began in
 the year #agcc4 ,the brethren of this  
mission have two settlements or villages
 upon the ,western coast4 ,one of these1
 which is called ,new ,herrnhut1 is on  
,ball's ,river2 and the other1 which is 
denominated ,lichtenfels1 is at the     
distance of thirty-six leagues from the 
first1 and more to the ,south4 ,crantz  
says1 that1 at his departure from       
,greenland1 four hundred and seventy    
,greenlanders were living at ,new       
,herrnhut in sixteen houses4 ,the       
brethren themselves describe this place 
as a sort of green ,oasis in a cheerless
 desert4 8,no one10 says one of the     

missionaries1 8would expect to find such
 a pleasant place in such an unpleasant 
land4 ,the country consists entirely of 
bald rocks1 thinly interspersed with    
spots and veins of earth1 or rather     
sand4 ,but our house1 area1 garden1 c4  
look very regular and decent1 and all   
the adjacent land round about the place1
 where once not a blade of grass grew in
 the sand1 is now enrobed with the most 
beautiful foliage1 so that              
,new-,herrnhut may be called a garden of
 the ,lord in a most frightful          
wilderness40 ,crantz1 vol4 i1 p4 #afb1  
#afc4 ,in p4 #cii1 of the same volume1  
,crantz extols the soft beauty of this  
little ,greenland village1 compared with
 the rugged sterility around4 8,on the  
spot10 says he1 8that formerly consisted
 of nothing but sand1 nay1 on the very  
rocks1 grows now the finest grass1 the  
ground being manured for so many years  
with the blood and fat of their seals4  
,and when the ,greenlanders live in     
their winter houses1 one may see every  

evening1 yea1 throughout the whole      
night1 a beautiful illumination1 which  
is the more agreeable as the houses     
stand in two parallel lines1 are of     
equal height1 and have light in all the 
windows40  #ba ,according to the        
relation and opinion of those           
,greenlanders1 that inhabit the gulf of 
,disco1 in #fi1 ,greenland is an island1
 which they infer from the strong       
current that runs from the ,north1 and  
keeps the ice open even into the midst  
of the sea3 they will also tell you1    
they have spoken with people different  
from themselves on the other side of the
 ice1 and hailed them4 ,their language1 
they say1 is the same1 but the persons  
different1 so that a small strait only  
divides ,greenland from ,america4 ,the  
said straits are so narrow1 that men on 
both sides can shoot at once one and the
 same fish4 ,the continent farthest to  
the ,north is all covered with ice2 the 
islands only uncovered1 where rein deer1
 and also geese and other wild birds1   

are found in great numbers4  #bb        
,historians disagree about the time of  
the first settlement of ,greenland4 ,the
 ,icelanders 7as we have mentioned7 will
 have it to be in the year #ihb-c4 ,but 
,pontanus1 in his ,danish ,history1     
refers it to the year #ggj2 making his  
assertion good by a bull of ,pope       
,gregory the ,i,vth1 who in the year    
#hce sent to ,bishop ,ansgarius1 wherein
 the propagation of the ,gospel is      
recommended to him1 as archbishop of the
 ,northern ,countries1 and especially of
 ,iceland and ,greenland4  #bc ,the     
,greenlanders relate a very ridiculous  
story1 as well concerning the origin of 
our colonies 7whom they call by the name
 of ,kablunt7 as of their total         
overthrow1 as follows3 a ,greenland     
woman1 in her child-bearing1 was once   
delivered of ,kablunt and dogs' whelps1 
of which the parents were highly        
ashamed1 and for that reason withdrew   
from their neighbours and countrymen4   
,this monstrous breed being grown up1   

became so troublesome to their father1  
that he was not able to endure them2    
wherefore he retired yet farther to some
 distant place4 ,meanwhile this inhuman 
race came to this horrible agreement    
amongst themselves1 to devour their own 
father1 whenever he should happen to    
come among them2 which a little after   
came to pass1 when he visited them with 
a present of some part of a seal1 which 
he had taken1 according to custom4      
,kablunt immediately went down to him1  
to whom the father delivered the piece  
of seal's flesh he had brought them4    
,but he was no sooner got ashore1 than  
the doggish race seized and devoured    
him1 and then ate the seal's flesh given
 them4 ,whilst the ,kablunt dwelled     
there1 one of the ,innuits 7or mankind71
 for so they call themselves1 came      
rowing along the shore1 and throwing his
 dart at some sea fowl1 missed what he  
aimed at2 which one of the ,kablunt1 who
 stood upon a point of land running out 
into the sea1 observing1 mocked and     

ridiculed him1 and1 laying himself down 
upon the ground1 told him that as he saw
 he was so dexterous in shooting1 he    
would be the bird2 he might throw the   
dart at him1 and take care not to miss  
him3 whereupon ,innuit shot and killed  
him4 ,this death caused continual       
strifes and wars between the ,kablunts  
and ,innuits1 which last at length      
became masters1 and overthrew the       
former4  #bd ,a ,greenlander1 who came  
from the most ,southern part of the     
country near the ,states ,promontory1   
told my son1 when he saw some lemons in 
his room1 that he had seen fruits much  
like those growing upon trees in his    
country1 though they were four times    
less2 which ,i take to have been some of
 those acorns1 which ,i above took      
notice of1 treating of the nature of the
 soil4  #be ,the lamps and pots1 which  
the ,southern ,greenlanders make of this
 marble1 are sold at a very high price2 
so that the natives of the ,northern    
parts1 where such marble is not to be   

had1 buy them at the rate of eight or   
ten rein deer skins a large pot1 and a  
lamp at two or three skins4  #bf        
,according to what the natives tell1    
there is in the ,southern parts a hot   
well1 of a mineral quality2 which1 if   
you wash therein1 cures the itch2 they  
wash their skins in it1 and it takes    
away all dirt and foulness1 and makes   
them look like new4  #bg ,in the #gfth  
degree of latitude the number of bears  
is so great1 that they in droves        
surround the natives' habitations1 who  
then1 with their dogs1 fall upon them1  
and with their spears and lances kill   
them4 ,in winter1 instead of dens or    
caves under the earth1 as in ,norway and
 other places1 here the bears make      
theirs under the snow2 which1 according 
to the information the natives have     
given me1 are made with pillars1 like   
stately buildings4  #bh ,the farther you
 go ,northwards1 the seldomer you meet  
with rein deer1 except in the #c;d or   
#dth degree to the ,north of ,disco1    

where they are in great numbers2 perhaps
 by reason either of its joining to     
,america1 or else because the deer pass 
over to the islands upon the ice1 in    
quest of food1 which the main land1     
covered with ice and snow1 does not     
afford them4 ,the natives1 instead of   
reason1 give us a very childish tale for
 the vast number of rein deer being     
found upon ,disco ,island1 as follows3--
  ,a mighty ,greenlander 7one           
,torngarsuk1 as they call him1 who is   
father to an ugly frightful woman1 who  
resides in the lowermost region of the  
,earth1 and has command over all the    
animals of the sea1 as we shall see     
hereafter7 did with his ,kajar1 tow this
 island to the place where it now lies1 
from the ,south where it was before4    
,now1 as the face of this island        
resembles very much the ,southern       
coasts1 and the root angelica is        
likewise found upon it1 which grows     
nowhere else in the neighbouring parts1 
this confirms them in their credulity4  

,and furthermore1 they assure you1 that 
a hole is seen to this day in the       
island1 through which the towing-rope   
had been fastened by ,torngarsuk4  #bi  
,the above-mentioned author calls the   
first of these monsters ,havestramb1 or 
,mer-man1 and describes it to have the  
likeness of a man1 as to the head1 face1
 nose1 and mouth2 save that its head was
 oblong and pointed like a sugar-loaf2  
it has broad shoulders1 and two arms    
without hands2 the body downwards is    
slanting and thin2 the rest below the   
middle1 being hid in the water1 could   
not be observed4 ,the second monster he 
calls ,margya1 or ,mer-woman1 or        
,mermaid1 had from the middle upwards   
the shape and countenance of a woman2 a 
terrible broad face1 a pointed forehead1
 wrinkled cheeks1 a wide mouth1 large   
eyes1 black untrimmed hair1 and two     
great breasts1 which showed her sex2 she
 has two long arms1 with hands and      
fingers joined together with a skin1    
like the feet of a goose2 below the     

middle she is like a fish1 with a tail  
and fins4 ,the fishermen pretend1 that  
when these sea monsters appear1 it      
forebodes stormy weather4 ,the third    
monster1 named ,hafgufa1 is so terrible 
and frightful1 that the author does not 
well know how to describe it2 and no    
wonder1 because he never had any true   
relation of it3 its shape1 length1 and  
bulk1 seems to exceed all size and      
measure4 ,they that pretend to have seen
 it1 say1 it appeared to them more like 
a land than a fish1 or sea animal4 ,and 
as there never has been seen above two  
of them in the wide open sea1 they      
conclude1 that there can be no breed of 
them2 for if they should breed and      
multiply1 all the rest of fishes must be
 destroyed at last1 their vast body     
wanting such large quantity of          
nourishment4 ,when this monster is      
hungry1 it is said to void through the  
mouth some matter of a sweet scent1     
which perfumes the whole sea2 and by    
this means it allures and draws all     

sorts of fishes and animals1 even the   
whales to it1 who in whole droves flock 
thither1 and run into the wide opened   
swallow of this hideous monster1 as into
 a whirlpool1 till its belly be well    
freighted with a copious load of all    
sorts of fishes and animals1 and then it
 shuts the swallow1 and has for the     
whole year enough to digest and live    
upon2 for it is said to make but one    
large meal a year4 ,this1 though a very 
silly and absurd tale1 is nevertheless  
matched by another story1 every whit as 
ridiculous1 told by my own countrymen1  
fishermen in the ,northern part of      
,norway4 ,they tell you1 that a great   
ghastly sea monster now and then appears
 in the main sea1 which they call       
,kracken1 and is no doubt the same that 
the islanders call ,hafgufa1 of which we
 have spoken above4 ,they say1 that its 
body reaches several miles in length2   
and that it is most seen in a calm2 when
 it comes out of the water1 it seems to 
cover the whole surface of the sea1     

having many heads and a number of claws1
 with which it seizes all that comes in 
its way1 as fishing boats with men and  
all1 fishes and animals1 and lets       
nothing escape2 all which it draws down 
to the bottom of the sea4 ,moreover they
 tell you that all sorts of fishes flock
 together upon it1 as upon a bank of the
 sea1 and that many fishing boats come  
thither to catch fish1 not suspecting   
that they lie upon such a dreadful      
monster1 which they at last understand  
by the intangling of their hooks and    
angles in its body2 which the monster   
feeling1 rises softly from the bottom to
 the surface1 and seizes them all2 if in
 time they do not perceive him and      
prevent their destruction1 which they   
may easily do1 only calling it by its   
name1 which it no sooner hears1 but it  
sinks down again as softly as it did    
rise4 ,they tell you of another sea     
spectre1 which they call the ,draw1 who 
keeps to no constant shape or figure1   
but now appears in one1 now in another4 

,it appears and is heard before any     
misfortunes1 as shipwrecks and the like1
 happen at sea1 which it forebodes with 
a most frightful and ghastly howling2   
and they say it sometimes utters words  
like a man4 ,it most commonly diverts   
itself1 in putting all things out of    
order1 after the fishermen are gone at  
night to rest2 and then he leaves behind
 him a nasty stench4 ,the fishermen will
 not suffer the truth of this tale to be
 questioned1 but pretend it is          
confessed4 ,but the most superstitious  
among them go yet a step farther1 and   
will make you believe1 that there       
appears to them another kind of sea     
phantom1 in the shape of a child in     
swadling clothes1 which they call       
,marmel1 and sometimes draw him out of  
the sea with their angling hook1 when he
 speaks to them with a human voice4     
,they carry him to their home1 and at   
night they put him into one of their    
boots1 there to rest4 ,in the morning1  
when they go a fishing again1 they take 

him along with them in their boats1 and 
before they let him go1 they set him a  
task to inform them of all they want to 
know1 upon which they dismiss him4  #cj 
,what so many authors of great note     
relate of the wood ducks1 and affirm to 
be an unquestionable truth1 is by as    
many learned writers treated as an old  
woman's tale1 pretending that such an   
heterogeneal generation passes the      
ordinary bounds of nature4  ,others 7in 
consideration of so many authors of     
credit1 who affirm that they have been  
eye witnesses to this strange and       
wonderful generation7 have taken great  
pains to demonstrate the causes and     
probability of it physically and        
philosophically1 amongst whom is the    
learned father ,kirkerus1 in his ,mundus
 ,subterraneus2 where he maintains1 that
 the semen of this extraordinary        
generation is neither contained in those
 old pieces of wood1 that drive in the  
sea1 nor in the muscles originally2 for 
a piece of wood cannot produce a living 

animal1 this exceeding the virtue nature
 has endowed it with2 much less the     
summer froth of the sea1 which adheres  
to the rotten piece of wood1 and may    
produce shells or muscles4 ,then he     
forms the question1 from whence comes   
this semen or seed1 which produces such 
a strange fruit as a living bird8 which 
question he strives thus to resolve2    
that1 whereas he has been informed by   
certain ,dutchmen's journals or voyages 
into the ,northern seas1 that this sort 
of birds1 peculiar to that climate1 make
 their nest and lay their eggs upon the 
ice2 when the ice by the heat of the sun
 thaws and breaks asunder1 this         
innumerable quantity of eggs are        
likewise mashed and crushed to pieces   
and beaten about by the waves2 and that 
if that part of the egg1 which contains 
the seed1 encounters any subject matter 
proper to foment and brood it1 and is   
received in it loco nutricis1 assisted  
by the temperament of the air1 the      
earth1 or the sea1 it becomes in due    

time a perfect bird4 ,this is the       
renowned father ,kirkerus's notion      
concerning the generation of these      
birds4 ,but if one examines his         
reasoning1 it is found altogether       
incoherent3 for it was never known1 that
 sea fowls lay their eggs upon the naked
 ice1 but commonly upon the islands and 
rocks in the sea1 which are surrounded  
and sometimes covered with ice2 and     
consequently when the ice breaks1 and   
drives away from the islands1 the eggs  
remain still in their nest1 without     
receiving any hurt4 ,and thus the ,dutch
 found it at ,nova ,zembla1 in the year 
#aefi2 but what they saw was not the    
right sort of wood ducks1 but what they 
in ,norway call gield ducks2 for wood   
ducks never are seen to couple1 nor to  
lay or hatch their eggs4 ,secondly1 it  
seems no less absurd to maintain1 that  
eggs1 after they are mashed in pieces1  
and beaten about by the waves1 retain as
 much seminal virtue as will serve to   
procreate a bird4 ,from whence ,i infer1

 that either the information the good   
father had got from the ,dutch voyages  
was intirely groundless1 or this        
pretended generation goes beyond the    
bounds of nature4 ,as to the first      
inference1 it is not impossible that the
 authors who relate this story may have 
been imposed upon by a common though    
false report of vulgar and ignorant     
people2 as any one may1 that takes a    
thing for granted upon a bare hearsay1  
without the attestation of eye witnesses
 in such a matter4 ,for my part ,i do   
not doubt at all of this wonderful      
generation2 for though ,i have not      
beheld it with my own eyes1 yet ,i have 
met with many honest and reasonable men 
in my native country1 who have assured  
me1 that they have found pieces of old1 
rotten1 driven wood in the sea1 upon    
which there hang muscles1 in some of    
which they saw young birds1 some half   
formed1 others in full perfection and   
shape4 ,from whence ,i conclude1 that   
those fowls spring from no other seed   

than some clammy and viscous matter     
floating in the sea1 precipitated upon  
pieces of old rotten wood as aforesaid2 
of which there is first formed a muscle1
 and then a little worm in the muscle   
shell2 from whence at last a bird       
proceeds4 ,and although this may seem to
 exceed the ordinary bounds set by      
nature in the procreation of other      
birds1 yet it is observed and confessed1
 that the sea produces many strange and 
surprising things1 and even living      
animals1 which we cannot affirm to have 
had being from the first creation2 but  
that by virtue of the primitive blessing
 ,god gave the sea to produce1 it may   
yet bring forth many uncommon and       
wonderful things2 as for example1 many  
sorts of sea insects1 viz4 crabs and the
 like4 ,and thus the sea or water in    
general may with reason be stiled pater 
et mater rerum2 i4 e4 8the common parent
 of things40 ,nature seems to delight   
sometimes in forming out-of-the-way     
things3 thus we see divers insects      

formed out of the very dung of animals2 
some of which insects often change their
 kind and shape1 viz4 from a small worm 
into a flying animal2 as flies1 beetles1
 butterflies1 and so forth4  #ca ,when  
they see our drunken sailors quarrelling
 and fighting together1 they say we are 
inhuman2 that those fighters do not look
 upon one another to be of the same     
kind4 ,likewise1 if an officer beats any
 of the men1 they say1 such officer     
treats his fellow creatures like dogs4  
#cb ,the way the men wash themselves is 
to lick their fingers 7as the cat does  
his paws7 and rub their eyes with them  
to get the salt off1 which the sea      
throws into their face4 ,the women wash 
themselves in their urine1 that their   
hair may grow1 and to give it 7according
 to their fancy7 a fine smell4 ,when a  
maiden has thus washed herself1 their   
common saying is niviarsiarsuanerks1    
that is1 she smells like a virgin maid4 
,thus washed they go into the cold air1 
and let it freeze1 which shows the      

strength of their heads1 and it well    
becomes foreigners to do so4  #cc ,in   
the summer they wear short frocks1 as   
also in winter1 when they work on the   
ice in the bays2 but then they put a    
white covering over it1 that they may   
not frighten the seals4  #cd ,when a man
 sends for his son's bride1 to be       
conducted to his house1 if he be in good
 circumstances he makes a great feast2  
and throws out for prizes several       
presents of poles1 rafts1 knives1 and   
other toys4 ,the same is practised the  
day following after the bedding of the  
new-married couple4 ,if they have       
children before the year is past1 or if 
they often breed1 they are blamed1 and  
compared to dogs4 ,a new married woman  
is ashamed for having changed her       
condition for a married state4  #ce ,in 
its inflections it agrees with the      
,hebrew4  #cf ,the angekuts say that    
souls are a soft matter to feel1 or     
rather that they cannot be felt1 as if  
they had neither sinews nor bones4  #cg 

,the ,innu1 or inhabitants of the sea1  
they call ,kongeuserokit2 of whom they  
say1 that they feed upon fox tails4     
,ingnersoit1 a sort of sea sprites1     
which inhabit the rocks that lie upon   
the coast2 which1 they tell you1 will   
carry away the ,greenlanders1 not to do 
them any harm1 but to enjoy their       
company4 ,tunnersoit are phantoms living
 in the mountains2 and ,ignersoit1 or   
fiery sprites 7because they appear to be
 all over fire7 live near the shore1 in 
steep and craggy cliffs4 ,this is that  
meteor which we call the ,flying        
,dragon4 ,innuarolit they pretend to be 
a people of a dwarfish size1 like       
pigmies1 and are said to inhabit the    
,east side of ,greenland4 ,erkiglit1 on 
the contrary1 are said to be a nation of
 a huge and monstrous size1 with snouts 
like dogs2 they are likewise said to    
dwell on the ,east side4                
,sillagiksortok1 a spirit1 who makes    
fair weather1 and lives upon the ice    
mountains4 ,nerrim ,innua1 or the ruler 

of diet1 because he prescribes rules for
 the diet or eating of those that are   
obliged to keep abstinence4 ,they       
ascribe also some sort of divinity to   
the air1 and for fear of offending it   
they will refrain from certain things   
and actions2 for which reason they are  
afraid to go out in the open air in the 
dark4  #ch ,while angekkuts are         
conjuring1 nobody must scratch his head1
 nor sleep1 nor break wind2 for they    
say1 that such a dart can kill the      
enchanters1 nay the devil himself4      
,after a conjuration has been performed1
 there is a vacancy from working for    
three or four days4  #ci                
,argnakaglertoko1 a woman that lives by 
rule1 they say1 can lay the storm1 by   
going out of doors and filling her mouth
 with air1 and coming back into the     
house1 blows it out again4 ,if she      
catches the rain drops with her mouth1  
it will be dry weather2 and other       
strange effects they ascribe to her4    
#dj ,a word not known to me in the      

,danish tongue4  #da ,others say1 that a
 huge dog watches the entry1 and gives  
warning1 when an angekkok attempts to   
get in1 and defends the entry4          
,wherefore the angekkok must watch the  
minute1 that the dog falls asleep 7which
 lasts but a moment71 to steal in upon  
her4 ,this moment nobody knows but an   
angekkok poglik2 wherefore the other    
angekkuts often return home again       
without success4 ,this frightful woman  
is said to have a hand as big as the    
tail of a whale1 with which1 if she hits
 any body1 he is at one stroke          
mouse-dead4 ,but if the angekkok        
conquers her 7which he does if he can   
get at her aglerrutut1 which hang       
dangling about her face1 and rob her of 
them7 then she must discharge all fishes
 and sea animals1 which she has detained
 in captivity2 who thereupon return to  
their wonted stations in the sea4  #db  
,they assign the ,moon a house in the   
,western part of the world1 where he is 
often visited and resorted to by the    

angekkuts4 ,and the ,sun1 they say1 has 
her abode in the ,east2 but she is      
inaccessible on account of her heat1    
which keeps the angekkuts at a distance2
 at which she is sorely grieved1 because
 she cannot learn by them how matters   
stand upon ,earth4     ,typographical   
errors corrected by the etext           
transcriber3  ,forbisher ,frobisher x #e
  no such piercing or singing sharpness 
no such piercing or stinging sharpness  
pg #ef  like a cresent like a crescent  
pg #fh  firing of great gnns firing of  
great guns pg #fi  his mouth his armed  
his mouth is armed pg #hb  ,his length  
his five ,his length is five pg #hb     
come up to to the hole come up to the   
hole pg #ajd  sea dogs1 who mount the   
the guard sea dogs1 who mount the guard 
pg #bjb  ,none can can get admittance   
,none can get admittance pg #bjb  ,ou il
 se fait grande ,o il se fait grande    
note1 pg xxviii