18 



MARION 



EXPEDITION TO DAVIS STRAIT AND BAFFIN BAY 



mitted the position to be fixed by means of bearin<>s of the islets that 

 were taken from time to time. At T.48 p. m. the ship ran out into 

 a clear space and we could see the toAvering- heights of Disko Island 

 boldly standing up in the sunlight some 8 miles ahead. So deceptive 

 was its appearance over the glassy waters of the berg-studded bay 

 that the lookout forward thought it was very close when he first 

 sighted it through the thinning fog bank and excitedly yelled out to 

 stop the ship as land was right ahead. 



Two stations were taken while approaching Godhavn, on Disko 

 Island, from the southward, the last one being located about 4 miles 

 off the port. The town, which is the capital of its local district and 

 also of North Greenland, is perched on a rock bench at the edge of 

 the sea. Immediately behind it rise great red mountains that are 

 much cut up l)y i-avinos. Thei'e were ice domes on tlie highest parts 



GODIIAVX, GREEXLAXD 



Figure i;i. — The Marion, on arriving at Godhavn, fired a national salute. This settle- 

 ment is the capital of North Greenland and it is, like Godthaab, the residing place of 

 a number of Danish officials. A Danish whale catcher can be discerned to the left 

 of the flagstaff, moored alongside a 4-masted sailing vessel. 



of these mountains, but nearer sea level there was everywhere a faint 

 tinge of green, caused by the vegetaticm which reached apparently 

 almost up to the areas of perpetual snow. 



About 100 bergs, some very large and some with much dirt from 

 the land on them, were drifting off Godhavn in the mouth of Disko 

 Bay. Though it was 9 p. m., the sun Avas still over 5° high and 

 would be up nearly two hours longer. The sun's declination was 

 much less than it had been a month and a half earlier, but, due to 

 the comparatively high latitude of Disko Island, there Avas still day- 

 light 24 hours per day. In response to a request by radio for per- 

 mission to enter port, the Danish officials replied that the Marion Avas 

 Avelcome to Godhavn, and gave helpful advice concerning how the 

 harbor entrance should be approached from the south. 



Soon a motor boat Avas seen standing out from the toAvn. It came 

 alongside the ship and a Avelcoming delegation consisting of a pilot, 



