POPULATION OF UPERNAVIK. 39 



piece of cunning needlework. The tanned seal-skin, 

 by alternate freezing and thawing, and exposure to 

 the sun, becomes perfectly bleached, and in that con- 

 dition is readily stained with any color which woman's 

 caprice may suggest, or the Chief Trader may happen 

 to have in his store-room. The women of Greenland 

 are not exempt from the graceful vanities of other 

 lands. They are fond of gay colors, and do not dis- 

 dain admiration. Red boots, or white, trimmed with 

 reel, seemed to be most in vogue, though, indeed, there 

 is no more an end to the variety than there is to the 

 strangeness of the fancy which suggests it. It would 

 be difficult to imagine a more ludicrous sight than 

 was presented by the crowd of red and yellow and 

 white and purple and blue legged women who crowded 

 along the beach as we entered the harbor. 



The population of Upernavik numbers about two 

 hundred souls, comprising about twenty Danes, and a 

 larger number of half-breeds, the remainder being na- 

 tive Greenlanclers, that is, Esquimaux. I shall have 

 more to say of them hereafter, my purpose now being 

 to carry the reader as rapidly as possible to the scene 

 of our explorations. He may indeed have as much 

 anxiety to get away from Upernavik as I had. 



Through the kindness of Mr. Hansen, I obtained 

 here three native hunters, and also an interpreter. 

 This latter had taken passage by the Thialfe for Co- 

 penhagen, but he could not withstand the tempting 

 offer which I made him, and he quickly transferred 

 himself from the Danish brig to our crowded cabin. 

 He was a hearty, strong man, had lived in Green- 

 land for ten years ; and, being more than usually in- 

 telligent, had picked up on board the English whale- 

 ships a sufficient knowledge of the English language 



