44 



MARION EXPEDITION TO DAVIS STRAIT AXD BAFFIN BAY 



At 2.40 ]). ni. the extremely narrow jjassage north of the eastern end 

 of Arsuk Ishmd was negotiated. This passage is less than 40 yards 

 wide at its most constricted point, and so shallow that maiw details 

 of the rocky bottom and sides could be seen from the ship. From 

 2.45 to 3.15 p. m. the Marion proceeded up the main branch of Arsuk 

 Fiord toward Ivigtut. Depths greater than 270 fathoms were ob- 

 tained with the fathometer on this run, although the fiord is only II/2 

 miles wide. (See tig. 45.) At 3.25 p. m. the Marion moored along- 

 side the Norwegian steamship Wagland, which was close to the sea 

 wall at Ivigtnt loading cryolite for Philadelphia, Pa. 



^mt^mmss. 



THE LARfiEST AND RICHEST MINE IN ALL GREENLAND 



Figure 34. — At Ivlgtut, Greenland, we saw this great open-pit cryolite mine. It has 

 been in operation for many decades, yet it is still the only mine in the world from 

 which the mineral cryolite is obtained in quantity. The workings are but a stone's 

 throw from the fiord, and the floor of the mine is now far below sea level. Winter and 

 summer, the mineral is mined. The taxes which the Danish Government obtains 

 from the mining company go far toward paying the administrative costs of the Colony 

 of Greenland. 



After the local government agent had passed upon the health of the 

 crew and the usual formalities had been complied with, liberty was 

 granted to visit the cryolite mine and the settlement surrounding it. 

 We were astonished to see the great open mine pit and comfortable 

 dwellings of the 200 Danes wdio get out the cryolite with the most 

 up-to-date methods. Due to the very good wages paid the workers, 

 .the type of men working in the mine is unusually high. The miners 

 come over from Denmark for limited periods, and there is always a 

 large waiting list of applicants, from which only the best and most 

 deserving men are selected. No Greenlanders were about at Ivigtut, 

 because none are allowed to live near by. There were only two 

 women on the reservation, the wife of the chief engineer and the 

 housekeeper of the director of the mining company. We were 



