A S(MM/:n VOYAGE TO THE ARCTIC lo;] 



west stretched the open water of Balliii l)ay, while all around 

 were the stately icol)ergs proceeding from the great glaciers at 

 the head of the fiord. 



The Hope left our party at Unianak, the princijial settlement 

 of the district, which was to be our headquarters for several 

 weeks, and where the vessel was again to return for us after its 

 trip further north. The village is situated on an island, which 

 though only about three miles in length, has in its center a moun- 

 tain nearly 4,000 feet in height, a most remarkable shaft of rock, 

 from which the name Umanak, being the Eskimo for " heart- 

 shaped," is derived. The village consists of about 150 Eskimos 

 and three Danish families. We found these Danish oHicials and 

 their families most intelligent and hospitable people. ' They are 

 almost entirely cut off from the rest of the world, only receiving 

 news from Euroj^e two or three times during the short summer. 

 During ten months they are completely isolated, and for two 

 months they do not see the sun. 



In the management of their jjossessions in Greenland and of 

 the native races, the Danes have followed a plan unicpie in the 

 world's history. Between Cape Farewell and Upernivik, said to 

 be the most northern civilized settlement in tlie world, there live 

 about 10.( X K) Eskimos, scattered in villages along the coast. They 

 are divided into twelve districts, of which Umanak is commer- 

 ciall}' the most important. In each district there are usually a gov- 

 ernor, an assistant governor, having charge of commercial all'aii's, 

 and a lAitheran pastor, in care of religious and educational mat- 

 ters, but beyond these and a few minor officials in charge of sub- 

 settlements, no Danes or other foreigners are allowed to settle in 

 Greenland. The whole is under the direction of the Royal (Jreen- 

 land Board of Trade, a government bureau in Copenhagen which 

 has a monoi)oly of the trade of Greenland. Supplies are sent 

 out annually in nine shii)s, which luring back the products of 

 the region to Denmark. Euroi)ean goods are furnished to the 

 Eskimos at but a slight advance over cost price, and they are 

 paid amounts fixed in advance, once in five years, for the furs, 

 oil, ivory, etc., which they bring in. All other trade along this 

 coast is prohibited, and vessels are not allowed to even enter the 

 Greenland ports, except by special permission or in distress. 

 The idea has been to protect the natives in their rights and pur- 

 suits as well as in their morals. The arrangement is not a prof- 

 itable one to the Danish government, the loss on the (ireenland 

 trade during recent years being said to have been as much as 



