Aug. 1857. WAIGAT STRAIT. 21 



As a kayak is usually about 18 feet long, 8 inches deep, and 

 only 15 or 16 inches wide, it requires great expertness to 

 perform such a feat without the addition of a capsize. 



4th August. — Entered the Waigat yesterday morning, 

 slowly steaming through a sea of glass. Its surface was only 

 rippled by the myriads of eider-ducks which extended over 

 it for several miles : most of them were immature in plumage, 

 and were probably the birds of last year. 



After running about 24 miles, towards evening we ap- 

 proached a low range of sandstone cliffs on the Disco shore, 

 in which horizontal seams of coal were seen. Here we 

 anchored, and immediately commenced coaling. It was 

 fortunate we did so, for soon it began to blow hard ; and 

 ere noon to-day we were obliged, for the safety of the ship, 

 to leave our exposed anchorage, having, however, secured 

 eight or nine tons of tolerable coal. Formerly these coal- 

 seams were worked for the supply of the neighbouring 

 settlements, but for several years past it has been found 

 more profitable and convenient to send out coals from 

 Denmark, and thus permit the natives to devote their whole 

 time to the seal-fishery. 



The Waigat scenery is unusually grand ; the strait varies 

 from 3 to 5 leagues in width ; on each side are mountains of 

 3000 feet in height. The Disco side, upon which we landed, 

 is composed of trap, sandstone appearing only at the beach, 

 and occasionally rising in cliffs to about 100 feet. Upon 

 the moss-clad slopes many fragments of quartz and zoolite 

 were met with. The north end of Disco is almost a preci- 

 pice, the snow-capped summit of which is 4000 feet high. 



yh. — A pleasant fair wind carries us rapidly northward, 

 passing many icebergs. Our rigging is richly garnished with 

 split codfish, which we hoped would diy and keep ; but a 

 warm day in Disco Fiord, and much rain with a southerly 

 gale in the Waigat, have destroyed it for our own use. It 



