14 FREDERICKSHAAB, DA VIS' STRAIT. Chap. I. 



and enjoyed a ramble with him over the moss-clad hills. 

 Our first meeting was in North Greenland in 1848 ; we had 

 not seen one another since, so we had much to talk about. 

 Dr. Rink is a gentleman of acknowledged talent, a dis- 

 tinguished traveller, ancl is thoroughly conversant with the 

 sciences of geology and botany. Unfortunately for me his 

 excellent work on Greenland has not been translated into 

 English. 



Huge granitic boulders are not uncommon ; we met some 

 during our walk ; the largest measured fifty feet in circum- 

 ference by eight feet in height. 



We were kindly permitted to purchase eight tons of coals, 

 and such small things as were required ; the only fresh sup- 

 plies to be obtained besides codfish, which was abundant, 

 consisted of a very few ptarmigan and hares, and a couple 

 of kids ; these last are scarce. Some goats exist, but for 

 eight months out of the year they are shut up in a house, 

 and even now — in midsummer — are only let out in the day- 

 time. We also purchased of the Esquimaux some specimens 

 of Esquimaux workmanship, such as models of the native 

 dresses, kayaks, &c, also birds' skins and eggs. I saw fine 

 specimens of the white swan, and of a bird said to be 

 extremely rare in Greenland, — it was a species of grebe, 

 Podiceps cristatus, I imagine. Frederickshaab is just now 

 well supplied with wood : besides an unseaworthy brig, the 

 wreck of a large timber-ship lay on the beach, and an 

 abandoned timber-vessel, which was met with between Ice- 

 land and Greenland in July by Prince Napoleon, drifted 

 upon the coast 30 miles to the northward in the following 

 September. 



21st. — Dr. Rink paid me a visit when starting upon a 

 boat-voyage to visit some settlements at several days' journey 

 to the southward. His boat was constructed of a wooden 

 frame covered with stout seal-skin ; it was about thirty feet 



