SODHAVEN. 161 



For six days we were detained at the Whalefish 

 Islands; but on the 17th May we at last anchored close 

 to the settlement of Godhaven, the seat of the Northern 

 Inspectorate of Greenland. It is situated on a spur 

 of metamorphic rock, which juts out in a peninsular form 

 from Disco Island, the mainland of which is composed 

 of trap or basalt of recent igneous origin. These rocks 

 reach the height of 3,000, 4,000, or even 5,000 feet, and 

 are, in some places, formed into pillars, in a manner 

 which may be imagined by those who have visited Staffa 

 or the Giant's Causeway. 



The situation is singularly beautiful, with its beetling 

 cliff of dark rock, like the turrets of some giant fortifica- 

 tion, stretching darkly before the traveller, and presenting 

 the same aspect from seaward inaccessible, inhabited 

 only by sea-birds, such as guillemots, loons, ducks, gulls, 

 &c. 



It was not till 1721 that any attempt was made to 

 ascertain the religious condition of the Eskimos, or to 

 Christianize them. 



The "wild " Eskimos of the Arctic regions believe in tho 

 existence of two great and a number of inferior spirits. 

 The chief of these, " Tongarsuk," the great spirit, is 

 supposed to give power to the " angerkok," or priest, 

 who is the medium of communication between him and 

 the people, by whom he is only known by name, which is 

 never mentioned without becoming reverence. 



This great spirit is supposed to assume different forms, 

 at one time that of a man, at another that of a beajr, 



