INTRODUCTION. 3 



source of fact, his whole context being little else than a 

 transcript from that memorable legend. This writer dates 

 the first discovery of Greenland by Europeans, in the year 

 982 of the Christian era ; and on his authority is founded 

 the early history of Greenland as connected with the 

 European world. 



With respect to the commentaries of Torfaus, much 

 caution is advisable in admitting his details, as the state of 

 science in the times in which he wrote, and the great diffi- 

 culties attending expeditions by sea in those rude ages, 

 together with the exaggeration that such adventures would 

 naturally give rise to, must perplex or mislead. 



The writers of those times were possessed of a chivalrous 

 spirit to exalt the character of their countrymen, and the 

 very act of undertaking or effecting a voyage was sufficient 

 to afford the adventuring hero a distinguished place in the 

 historical record of the times. 



The Danish Missionary Crantz has endeavoured to make 

 up for the deficiencies of his predecessors in relating the 

 history of Greenland. That writer used the materials of a 

 primitive missionary, Egede, who published an account of 

 his great and extraordinary endeavours to benefit the native 

 Greenlanders. The difficulties Egede had to encounter, 

 even in the outset of his undertaking, were excessive ; but, 

 in 1721, he at length succeeded in obtaining permission 

 from the King of Denmark to proceed on his humane pur- 



B 2 



