DESCRIPTION OF GREENLAND. 197 



nciglibours and friends ; for hawking is not at all practised 

 in Denmark any more than in the other parts of the north. 



The sea round Greenland abounds in fish ; it is full of sea- 

 Avolves, seals, and walruses, and contains an incredible num- 

 ber of whales. I do not know wdiether I ought to class the 

 great white bear of Greenland with the land or water ani- 

 mals ; for, Avhilst the black bear remains on the land and 

 lives only upon flesh, the white bear remains in the sea and 

 only lives upon fish : they are much larger and more savage 

 than the black. They go in quest of sea-wolves and seals, 

 who give birth to their young upon the ice for fear of the 

 whales. They are very eager for young whales, and find 

 them daintier food than other fish. They do not go willingly 

 into the open sea when the ice is melted, not because they 

 do not swim and cannot live in the water as fish, but from a 

 natural antipathy they fear the whales, who scent and pur- 

 sue them to devour their young. This is why, when the 

 ice becomes detached from North Greenland and is carried 

 southward, the white bears who are upon it dare not leave 

 it, and by the time they are landed in either Iceland or Nor- 

 way, wherever the ice carries them, they become furious 

 with hunger. 



Heu male turn solis Norvegum erratur in oris. 



Strange stories are told of the ravages these animals have 

 made in these countries. Greenland has always been very 

 productive in horn, which they call unicorn-horn. In Den- 

 mark many are seen whole, and an infinite number of ends 

 and pieces, so that they are very common in this kingdom. 

 You will ask me what animals these are that have these 

 horns. I must tell you, Sir, that these horns, impro- 

 perly so called, have nothing in common with real horn, 

 rightly so called, of any kind whatever. And as the name 

 of the horns is doubtful, there are those "who also doubt whe- 

 ther the animals who bear them are flesh or fish. You will 



