JOURNEY ALONG THE COAST OF GREENLAND. 173 



fell over this dam into tlie sea. The temperature of the 

 air seemed considerably warmer, and the land bore a far 

 fresher green ; whilst the islands around Cape Farewell 

 formed a connected, high towering, tattered rocky block. 

 The northerly Island of Sedlevik, which we had now 

 reached, showed a level shore ; only in the middle did a 

 high, steep massive mountain rise. .Everywhere the bank 

 rose so high above the sea, that we had to search for 

 some time before we could find a place suitable for 

 pulling up the boats ; and this on account ol"! the steep- 

 ness of the rough rocks was hard work, though it at last 

 succeeded. 



One week had passed since we reached Illuidlek; 

 more happily than we had ventured to hope had our 

 journey sped since then ; and now we might once more 

 allow ourselves a day of rest. Sunday, the 12th of June, 

 we passed on Sedlevik. Although it blew hard from 

 the north-west, the day was beautifully clear, and we 

 could scan the land around us at our leisure. A party 

 went hunting. " Less blood-thirsty " (writes Dr. Laube) 

 " was my excursion ; armed with the carpenter's hammer, 

 and accompanied by Philipp and Konrad, I undertook 

 an excursion throuo^h the island. How different it was 

 over the soft, swelling, mossy carpet, in which the feet 

 often sank up to the ankles, to the hard stony rocks 

 which we had trodden up to this time ! Under the high 

 mountains of the island, Spring's first children had been 

 born to her ; amongst blooming willows and birch bushes, 

 which rose in their succulent green sprays from the 

 mossy ground like embroidery, the kidney-leaved sorrel 

 and sweet-smelling angelica, finely indented fan-like ferns, 

 waved in the air, and on the hanging rocks the 



