KAKSIMIUT. 257 



however. We left it further and further behind. In the 

 warm, bright sunshine a troop of fin-back whales were 

 playing round us, which, in their security, swam with 

 astonishing boldness so close to the ship that they dashed 

 the water all over the deck. The gambols of these 

 colossal creatures were wonderfully interesting. It was 

 like an explosion under the sea, when two or more of 

 these whales leaped at the same time out of the water, 

 and rested on the surface, beating it with their flappers, 

 until the sound was like that of great guns. The natives 

 had left us, and now these giants of the Arctic seas had 

 become our escort. 



In the evening, unfortunately, the wind died away, and 

 the next morning we had not advanced much farther, 

 namely, still in the latitude of Frederickshaab. It was 

 not long before the people noticed us. Natives ap- 

 proached, and later a boat came alongside with the 

 colonial officials. At first Captain Bang did not seem to 

 wish to cast anchor again ; but at length several different 

 circumstances induced him to do so, and thus we were 

 once more to go on shore. 



Frederickshaab lies in 62° Lat. and 50° 1' Long. The 

 colony has not the extent of Julianeshaab. The district lies 

 at the extremity of a Fjord-arm, into which a small stream 

 flows. It is not protected by islands, and offers a safe 

 harbour for any ship running in ; but the Greenland cap- 

 tains avoid lying-to in Frederickshaab, as they are often 

 prevented for weeks together, by fog and contrary winds, 

 from running out again. The houses lie on a plateau 

 between three mountains; to- the right and left rise two 

 round-headed granite peaks and a wild jagged rock, the 

 Kotenfjeld, which shuts in the prospect. From any of 



s 



