22 VOYAGE TO THE POLAR SEA. July 



fathoms. The derivation of the name of this settlement, 

 as I was informed, is somewhat fanciful. Founded 

 about the year 1755, it received the name of Berkentin 

 after a nobleman of that name, who at the date men- 

 tioned presided over Greenlandic affairs in Denmark. 

 The minister by a transposition of the letters of his 

 name converted it into Ritenbenk. 



The anchorage being deep and exposed to drifting 

 icebergs cannot be deemed a secure one. Whilst ar- 

 rangements were being made for completing our supplies 

 a shooting party started for a neighbouring ' loomery,' 

 on the north-west coast of Arve Prins Island ; they 

 returned in the evening with seventy-five guillemots and 

 razor-bills (Alca bruennicki and Alca torda). The loom 

 or guillemot of the Arctic seas differs from its close 

 ally Alca troile, found so commonly around the British 

 Isles, in its short stout bill ; on the wing it would be 

 impossible to separate the two species. We did not 

 observe the razor-bill north of the Waigat. 



When at Godhavn, Disco, we remarked how 

 densely each fresh-water pool was inhabited by the 

 larvse of mosquitoes just on the point of changing their 

 condition to the winged state. A few days later at 

 Eitenbenk the mosquitoes on shore were intolerable, 

 and when getting under weigh, the weather being 

 calm, these persistent annoyers fairly took possession of 

 the upper deck. 



Before parting company with the 'Valorous,' 

 owing to the large percentage of officers in the 

 Expedition, I decided to carry only one paymaster to 

 superintend the victualling of the two ships. Mr. 

 Edgar Whiddon, belonging to the 'Alert,' was there- 



