412 ACCOUNT OF THE ARCTIC REGIOXS. 



The south-westerly and southerly storms of the 

 autumn blow with particular violence, not only 

 about Hakluyt's Headland in Spitzbergen, but in 

 most other countries in high northern latitudes. 

 In West Greenland, it is observed by Crantz, 

 " when it once begins to be stormy, which happens 

 mostly in autumn, the wind rages so vehemently, 

 that the houses quiver and crack, the tents and 

 lighter boats fly up into the air, and the sea-water 

 scatters about in the land like snov/ dust. Nay, 

 the Greenlanders say, that the storm rends off 

 stones a couple of pounds weight, and mounts them 

 in the air. If any one is obliged at such times to 

 go out of the house to bring the boats into shelter, 

 he must constantly lie and creep upon his belly, 

 that the wind may not make him its sport. In sum- 

 mer, whirlwinds also spring up, that draw up the 

 waters out of the sea, and turn a boat round several 

 times. The most and fiercest storms rise in the 

 south, and take a compass round to north, where 

 they again subside and terminate in clear weather. 

 At such times, the ice in the bays is torn from its 

 bed, and hastens into the sea in heaps*." 



Storms as tremendous as those described by 

 Crantz, also occur in Iceland. Some facts of this na- 

 ture have been given by Sir George Mackenzie. 

 On the 6th of November 1809, a most awful gale 



* History of Greenland:, vol. i. p. 47- 



