May, 1858. COALING. 



99 



dressing the 'Fox' in all her flags, and regaling her crew 

 with plum pudding and grog. The ice having moved off, 

 we have come into the harbour of Godhavn, as being more 

 convenient and safe. The day has been a busy one ; we 

 have completed our small purchases and closed our letters ; 

 I have added another Esquimaux lad to our crew, taking 

 with him his rifle, kayak, and sledge. This evening there 

 has been a brisk interchange of presents between us and our 

 Danish friends. I have been given an eider-down coverlet 

 by the Governor, a pair of fur boots by Mr. Andersen, 

 and by Mrs. Olrik, some delicious preserves of Greenland 

 cranberries, a tin of preserved ptarmigan, and a jar of 

 pickled whaleskin ; my table is decked with European 

 flowers, including roses, mignonette, and violets. 



With good reason shall we remember Godhavn ; we have 

 certainly been treated as especial favourites. 



26th. — Left Godhavn early yesterday morning, and an- 

 chored this afternoon in our old position off the Coal Cliffs 

 in Waigat Strait ; a party of seal-hunters from Atanekerdluk 

 came off to us, and their hunting having terminated suc- 

 cessfully, they will assist us in coaling. From these men 

 I obtained much information about this part of the coast; 

 within a range of 20 miles upon the Disco shore there are 

 four distinct coaling places; but at this early season two of 

 them are deeply covered with snow. There is also very 

 good coal at the S.E. end of Hare Island, where it can 

 easily be obtained. The ice in this strait broke up as long 

 ago as the 3rd April ; it has all drifted out to the no7'thwai'd, 

 and only a few icebergs now remain. 



On the Greenland shore of the strait is the now celebrated 

 fossilized forest of Atanekerdluk, — a brief notice of it will be 

 found in the Appendix ; the extraordinary interest attaching 

 to it is due to the fact, that here about one hundred species 

 of plants have been found, that flourished at quite a recent 



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