LICHTENAU. 209 



every year a considerable quantity of drift-wood from 

 the Arctic current, the missionaries in the south are 

 obhged to bring all necessary firing, partly from Europe, 

 partly from the inside of the Fjord, and often from a 

 great distance. The birch ^ and willow^ are seldom seen 

 on the outlying islands, and on the shore of the mainland 

 are very scant of growth ; but the farther one gets into 

 the Fjord they become stronger and stouter, and the banks 

 of inlets are often covered with a considerable quantity of 

 brushwood as hio-li as a man. This in the summer 

 months is gathered, and often conveyed many days' 

 journey; for the source of supply is yearly more and 

 more distant, owing to the slowness of the growth. 

 European coals have long since had to help, as the moss 

 here and there met with cannot be used. 



Like the firewood, the winter fodder for the live stock 

 (Lichtenau possesses three oxen and some goats) has to 

 be fetched with difficulty from a distance. The few 

 small grass plats, which give a scanty crop of hay, lie 

 miles apart, and often just as far from the mission. All 

 this business is attended to by the missionaries and their 

 wives ; and during the short summer they are absent 

 weeks together. Mr. Spindler wished at once to send 

 for his colleague from the Fjord ; but as we intended 

 leaving the next day, in order to reach Julianeshaab 

 in time to find the ship, we of course did not consent. 



Jonathan reappeared at last. He had, as the mis- 

 sionaries had premised, made all speed ; but he had been 

 delayed by the fog. His answer by word of mouth from 

 the captain of the Danish ship was, that we were to 

 come, and he would take us all with him. He also 



* Betula nana, L. ^ Salix herhacea, reticulata, arhuscula. 



P 



