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KERGUELEN’S VOYAGE TO THE NORTH. 789
eipht days at Patrixfiord, I made ready to depart for Berghen in Norway, to take ina
month’s provifions ; but before I leave the weftern part of Iceland, it will be proper to
fay fomething of Greenland, the land moft contiguous to Iceland.
Refpecting Greenland we have only an imperfect knowledge Some geographers
look upon it to this day as an ifland, others as a peninfula. This country was dif-
covered by a perfon of the name of Gunbiorn, and made more particularly known by
Eric, furnamed Red-head in 982. The green paftures of the country caufed him to
eall it Greenland. He faw favages there, who doubtlefs had pafled over there from
America, but of the origin of which there is nothing certain. The king of Norway
being informed of this difcovery, caufed miffionaries to be fent over with a colony.
The Greenlanders in 1256, revolted againft King Magnus, but this prince aflifted by
the Danes, reduced them again to fubjection in 1261. The black plague which
ravaged all the north, interrupted navigation to Greenland, and for two ages the coun-
try remained entirely forgot. Martin Frobifher left England in 1576, to attempt to-
reach Greenland, but the ice did not allow of his landing until 1577. He gave his
name to a {trait in latitude 63°. In 1585 John Davis went more to the north, and gave
his name to a {trait which he difcovered. Chriftian IV. in 16005, fent three veflels
thither, which eflablifhed atrade with the Greenlanders, five of whom were brought
to Copenhagen, but died of grief at being feparated from their country ; the next year
five fhips were difpatched, and in 1616 this prince difpatched Captain Munck with two
veffels for Hudfon’s Bay, in order to difecover a north-weft paflage. It is Captain
Munck who gave the name of Farewell to the cape, which forms the fouth part of
Greenland. In 1636 fome merchants of Copenhagen fent two veflels to Davis’s ftraits,
who trafficked with the Greenlanders and brought back a large quantity of gold duft.
It is not known for what reafon this trade was difcontinued by the Danes to 1718, when
a clergyman full of zeal, obtained an order from the king to go over to Greenland with
all his family. His name was Egede, and all the Greenlanders to whom he preached
the gofpel, had the higheft veneration for him. In 1731 the King of Denmark recalled
all his fubjeéts from Greenland. Egede alone remained with all his family. The king
fent thither again in 1734, and at this time the commerce of Greenland is carried on by
the general company of Gopenhagen, which every year difpatches three fhips to that.
country.
The coatts of Greenland are difficult of accefs on account of the fhelves and_ ice
which furround them. It is evenaffirmed that Frobifher’s ftraits are at this day fo full
of ice, that its exiftence is difputed. The eaftern part of Greenland, which is oppofite to
Iceland is entirely inacceflible, owing to the ice floats which come from Spitzbergen,
and which even fhut the paflage fometimes between Iceland and Greenland, which is
thirty-five leagues wide.. This happened in 1766, in that year it has been already ob-
ferved the fithing veffels were never able to double cape North.
The climate of Greenland is-cold, and the weather very inconftant and variable. In
the vallies, the ground confifts of marfhes and turf, and the mountains, which are fo
many fharp rocks, are covered with ice and fnow; trees are met with here in no
greater abundance. than in Iceland.. There are in Greenland feveral mountains of
Amianthus.. Very fmall white hares are found here, and rein-deer, but which have
no refemblance to the Lapland rein-deer.. The foxes there are grey, white, and blue ;
bears are met with, but which no ways refemble the bears of other countries, they have
more fupplenefs, and are more nimble... No other birds are feen but thofe called Riper
by the Icelanders, which build their nefts in the higheft rocks ; but as well as in Iceland,
there
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