S90 Mineralogical Remarks on Greenland. [Nov 



The mineral to which you have given the name of socialite 

 likewise occurs only at one spot, but in a more accessible situa- 

 tion, at Kanerdluarsuk, a narrow tongue of land upwards of 

 three miles in length, in lat. 61°. It is found in an extensive 

 bed, varying from b' to 12 feet in thickness, and dipping south. 

 It occurs between beds of mica slate ; these rest on gneiss; and 

 in ihe upper one the graphite, noticed in the list of minerals 

 formerly sent you, is found disseminated The coasts are here 

 precipitous, but the land nowhere in this vicinity above 1000 

 feet high. 



The allanite occurs in granite at Kakasoeitsiak, near Alluk, 

 between Capes Discord and Farewell, on the east coast, the 

 extreme point of Mr. Geisecke's travels in that direction ; and 

 he consequently was unable to revisit it. Of your analysis of 

 these two minerals Mr. Geisecke had heard, by means of a Hull 

 paper, and had them noted in his catalogue under the names 

 you have given them. Besides these, Mr. Geisecke has been so 

 fuitunate as to find a great variety of other minerals, entirely 

 new, specimens of most of which he had the kindness to place 

 in my cabinet. It is not, however, my business to rob him of 

 the satisfaction of making them known to the mineralogical 

 world himself, which, besides, I could only do in a very inipcr- 

 feet manner. After arranging his affairs in Copenhagen, where 

 he proposes to place a suite of the minerals of Greenland in the 

 Royal Cabinet, he proceeds to his own country, with the inten- 

 tion of immediately preparing for the press. 



Your readers will probably be anxious to know the kind of 

 country Mr Geisecke met with in Greenland. So far as he saw, 

 the continent was entirely primitive, excepting the peninsula of 

 Norsoak, in 7l°- 'Ihe large island Disco is composed of trap 

 rocks, resting on gneiss and mica slate. Hassen Island, and 

 one or two others in that neighbourhood, are also composed of 

 trap; and among the immense group of the Vrouwen Islands, 

 which are principally primitive, he found a few small ones be- 

 longing to the Hoetz class. 



The difficulties Mr. G. had to contend with were innumerable, 

 and the dangers continual, fie frequently had to walk 30 or 40 

 miles, cariying on his shoulders the fruits of his labour; and in 

 goitre from one island to another, he had nothing to convey him 

 but the miserable seal-skin boats of the country, and these 

 always managed by women. 



I have, therefore, more reason to be surprised at his being 

 able to form a collection at all, than that his minerals should 

 have Keen in ihe dirty and uncouth state in which i found them, 

 lie, however, inform* me, that they were in a very different 

 condition when they were sent from him; and has pointed out 



