510 FOURTH BULLETIN OF [1846. 



the great bay in which lies the island of Sennerut. One arm of this firth was 

 called UTIBLIKSFIRTH, a name adopted by the ancient Northmen from the 

 Esquimaux, with whom they must consequently have hisid intercourse at an early 

 period in Greenland ; for it is the Esquimaux word Ul'blik, signifying an isthmus, 

 and there is here a reninrkable isthmus which the Esquimaux still call by that 

 name. Eystribygd comprised anciently one hundred and ninety settlements, with 

 twelve churches, of most of which unquestionable ruins have been found. The 

 site of VESTRIBYGD, which included but ninety settlements and four churches, 

 lay farther towards the north, and the ancient STEINSNES must be placed in 

 Aglomersot, RANGEFIRTH at Araaraglik; AGNAFIRTH, with a churqh at 

 HOPE, in Baals Rcvicr, in the present district of Golthaab, and LYSUFIRTH 

 will be Iserlok, in Sukkertoppens district. Of the ancient NORORSETUR, or 

 summer stations for fishing and hunting, we may mention BIARNEY, (which had 

 been already visited in 1007 by Thorfinn Karlsefne, in his voyage to Vinland.) now 

 Disco, the inland of Kingiktorsoak, to tiie nortli of the most northern of the present 

 Danish settlements, Upnrnivik, where a curious runic stone from 1135 was found 

 in 1834, and KROKSFIRTH, through wliicli some clergymen from the episcopal 

 see of Gardar performed, in 1266, an exploratory voyage, ;ind which, from tho 

 astronomical notices contained in the ancient accounts of his journey, are proved to 

 be Sir James Lancaster's Sound and Barrow's titrait, together with Prince Regent 

 Inlet. 



THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF NORTHERN ANTIQUARIES published in 

 1845, GRONLANDS HISTORISKE MINDESMCERKEK, (The Historical Mon- 

 vments of Greenland,) vol. Ill, (958 pages, with twelve copperplates,) which closes 

 this work. The tirst and second volumes, pp. 814 and 794 respectively, were 

 published in 1S38. After Professor Rafn had finished the compilation of liis sep- 

 arate work, ANTIQUITATES AMERICANjE, which was published by the 

 society in 1837, he joined himself along with Professor Finn Magnusen for the pur- 

 pose of editing (also under tho auspices of the society) the great collection of 

 original written sources of the ancient history of that remarkable polar land, which 

 was first seen in 877, and colonized in 986. With a view ol doing all that lay in its 

 power to throw light on ancient Greenland, the society, during the ten years from 

 1832 to 1841, caused journeys to be undertaken and explorations to be performed 

 in such of the Greenland firths as were of the greatest importance in respect to the 

 ancient colonization. By excavations made among the ruins remaining from the 

 ancient colony, there was obtained a collection of inscriptions and other antiquities, 

 which are now preserved in the America! Museum erected by the society, and 

 drawings were taken of the ground plans of several edifices. Of the reports 

 received on this occasion, we must in an especial manner notice, as exhibiting 

 evidence of the most assiduous care, and as moreover embracing the most important 

 part of the country, the explorations undertaken by the Rev, George F. Joergensen 

 of the firths of Igalikko and Tunnudluarbik, where tho most considerable ruins are 

 situated. The present volume 3 contains extracts from annals and a collection of 

 diplomas relating to Greenhind, compiled by Finn Magnusen, (to this part apper- 

 tains a plate exhibiting seals of the Greenland bishops ;) ancient geographical 

 writings, compiled by Finn Magnusen and Charles C. Rafn; the voyages of the 

 brothers Zeno, wiih introductory notes and remarks by Dr. Bredsdorff; a view of 

 more recent voyages for tho ro-discovery of Greenland, by Dr. C. Pingel ; an anti- 

 quarian cliorography of Greenland, drasvn up by J. J. A. Worsaal from the ac- 

 counts furnished by various travellers of the explorations undertaken by tiiem. 

 The work is closed by a view of the ancient geography of Greenland, by Professor 

 Charles C. Rafn, baaed on a collation of the notices contained in tho ancient man- 

 uscripts and the accounts of tho country furnished by the travellers; to which it 

 added a list of tho bishops and a chronological conspectus of the ancient and mod- 

 ern history of the country, a iiistorical index of names, a geographical index, and 

 an antiquarian index rerum. Copperplate maps are annexed of tho two most im- 

 portant districts of ancient Greenland: the eastern settlement, (Eystribygd,) and 

 the western settlement, (Vestribygd,) exhibiting the position of tho numerous 

 ruins. Moreover plans and elevations of tho most important ecclesiastical ruins 

 *nd other rudera; also, delineations of runic stones and other northern antiquilic* 

 found ia Greenland. 



