232 THE GERMAN ARCTIC EXrEDITlON. 



the mildness of the air, it did not seem strange that the 

 cattle were out all night. 



The present inhabitants of Igalliko were not origi- 

 nally Greenlanders ; they are rather European, and 

 wandered into Greenland scarcely a hundred years 

 ago. The family ancestor was called Olsen; ho was 

 the first merchant in Julianeshaab. His descendants 

 have dropped the name of Olsen, and taken that of the 

 beloved Greenland apostle, Egede. This family is a 

 striking example how by degrees a tribe settling here 

 may become naturalized into natives. Except the fea- 

 tures, I could discover nothing in the inhabitants of 

 Igalliko which now remained to them from their European 

 ancestors. Language, customs, and manner of living, 

 all have they taken from the Greenlanders. We now 

 entered the house of young Sorn Egede. After going 

 happily round the dungheaps, and several muddy puddles, 

 we reached the utricular building, in which the door of 

 the dwelling-room was found. No movement was to be 

 heard in the half-darkened room. Only when the steers- 

 man called, did Sorn spring from the wooden bed common 

 to all, in a highly primitive toilette. He forthwith recog- 

 nized the visitors. But now the skin coverlet of the bed- 

 stead became alive underneath. Children's voices in every 

 different tone were heard ; and from the dark mass soon 

 peeped out here and there a head. Near Sorn, his wife 

 Annie had rested, who now, anything but put out by 

 nature's costume in which she was, viewed us atten- 

 tively, and in spite of the prevailing darkness, read the 

 letter which the steersman had brought. She then 

 turned gracefully round and suckled her youngest child. 

 At the sight of the dirty figures, maids, and shepherd- 



