70 XATIIRAL HISTORY OF ARCTIC AMERICA. 



other of these drawbacks Avonlcl indefinitely postpone a contemplated 

 journey. At this time I hnd the use of but one hand, and con Id not 

 manage a kyack. 



All the islands in the vicini'iy of Aunanactook are rocky — solid rock, 

 in fact — with extremely scanty vegetation. The shores are generally 

 steep blufis, and very little beach is exposed at low tide. A few miles 

 up the Greater Kiugwah, however, are very extensive beaches, and 

 thither all the waders congregated as soon as the ice began to loosen 

 from the shores. After leaving our winter harbor, the Florence made 

 brief stops at different points, but for such sliort periods that it gave 

 me very little time for explorations. 



After our arrival on the Greenland coast I received very great assist- 

 ance from Governor Edgar Fencker and lady, of Godhavn, through whose 

 kindness I i)rocured many valuable specimens. I can never forget the 

 kindness and unbounded hospitality of this educated and refined gen- 

 tleman and enthusiastic naturalist. 



To Inspector Kriirui) Smitz and lady, of Godhavn, I am under very 

 great obligations, not alone for the valuable donations of interesting 

 Eskimo implements, but for their untmng zeal in making our sojourn 

 as pleasant as possible, and the ready and entertaining information on 

 many little known subjects pertaining to Arctic matters. 



I was not a little surprised, as well as delighted, to find in Governor 

 Fencker a person perfectly familiar with the birds of North America as 

 well as Europe. During his eleven years' residence in Northern Green- 

 land he has, of course, added much to the knowledge of x\rctic ornithol- 

 ogy, and I was pleased to learn that he contemplated giving the world 

 the benefit of his observations in an illustrated work on the birds of 

 Greenland. Such a work, embellished with his superb drawings, can- 

 not fail to rank very high among the ornithological literature of the age. 



I have not the least doubt that future explorations in Cumberland 

 waters will yield a much richer harvest than I gathered. Many species 

 will be added, especially if the Lake Kennedy region is visited in sum- 

 mer. 



For the benefit of any future explorer who may visit this section of 

 country I will give what appears to me the best route and manner of 

 reaching Lake Kennedy. A person wintering in Cumberland will be 

 very apt to be stationed either at Mantilic on the western shore, or the 

 Kikkerton Islands on the eastern, a little farther to the north. These 

 points are favorite resorts for Eskimo in winter, and hunting parties 



