JOURNEY ALONG THE COAST OF GREENLAND. 



165 



Our aim was Friedriclistlial, the nearest colony on 

 the soutli-west coast of Greenland. But we reckoned upon 

 soon meeting one or tlie other of the Esquimaux seal- 

 boats searching the Fjord. We worked, pushing and 

 rowing laboriously, up the Kangerdleck Fjord, then struck 

 straight across, and rowed and cruised about from six 

 o'clock, at which time the ice loosened a little, until eleven 

 in the evening, against a hard, south-west wind. The 

 Island of Omenarsuk scarcely rises 125 feet above the sea, 

 and yet on its north side shows a spot only a few square 

 feet in size, which is covered with fresh-water ice, and 

 looks exactly like a diminutive glacier. From its position 

 it could not possibly be an ice-block hurled there; besides, 

 it was fresh water, ice from the snow which had been 

 frozen in the ravines of the island. This inlaijd ice- 

 formation in such small masses against the neighbouring 

 powerful ice-current, is an interesting phenomenon. Some 

 nautical miles from the south point of the above-mentioned 

 Fjord, which we christened " Pfingstkap," we hauled up 

 the boats on to the firm, even coast ice. The following 

 sketch will explain the situation : — 



The next day, 7tli Jun^was 

 delightful weather. We sailed 

 pleasantly past "Pfingstkap," 

 the highest rocky point of 

 which rises boldly in the air, 

 stretching along the steep coast 

 southwards. Its aspect was 

 barren and dreary. The dark- 

 ness of the rocks was broken 

 here and there by small strips 

 of snowj reaching about half 



