66 ACCOUNT or THE ARCTIC REGIONS, 



The Christian Religion was introduced into Ice- 

 land and Greenland about the year 1000, and \A-ith- 

 in a hundred year? afterguards generally diffused. 

 Above sixteen churches were then built, and two 

 convents. These buildings, as well as the habi- 

 tations of the colonists, were erected near the south- 

 ern point of Greenland. They had two settle- 

 ments, the most western of which increased up to 

 four parishes, containing one hundred fanns or \-il- 

 lages ; and the most eastern to twelve parishes, one 

 hundred and ninety villages, one bishop's see, and 

 two convents *. The intercourse between Green- 

 land and the rest of the world, was intercepted 

 about the year 1406, when the seventeenth bishop 

 attempted to reach his see, but was prevented by 

 ice. Since the beginning of the fifteenth centmy, 

 these unfortunate colonists have been, of necessity, 

 left to themselves, and, not having been heard of, 

 are supposed to have perished ; but whether they 

 were destroved by their enemies the Esquimaux, 

 who inhabit the same coimtry, or perished for want 

 of their usual supplies, or were carried off by a de- 

 structive pestilence, as some have imagined, is 

 still matter of doubt. It is not indeed knoAMi that 

 none of them yet remain, though, from the circum- 

 stance of several of the ruins of their convents ha- 

 ving been seen by the zealous missionary Hans 

 Egede, in the year 1723, it is clear, that the west- 



" Barrow'? Voyages, p. 12. 



