504 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. ¢ 
caught a glimpse of land, and at 12:30 we passed in sight of Cape Desolation, 
most appropriately named. 
We steamed along all day, August 5, in sight of the coast of Greenland, 
which was not more than ten miles off. I will not say anything about ‘‘Green- 
Jand’s icy mountains,” the hackneyed phrase repeated by so many travelers, but 
most of the coast was mountainous, and nearly every mountain was crowned with 
ice and snow. Between the mountains were deep ravines, and the ravines were 
filled with glaciers extending inland as far as the eye could reach. The sea was 
smooth and the weather pleasant, so I spent most of the time on deck. 
The days had been gradually growing longer as we proceeded north. This 
night (August 5) the sun set about 9 o’clock, but there was really no darkness—it 
was twilight all night. At 12 o’clock I was able to read the writing in my diary. 
We could follow the course of the sun after it set by a broad streak of brilliant 
red on the horizon, which increased in brilliancy and dimensions until the sun 
reappeared at 3 A. M. It was the most beautiful sight I ever saw. ‘The weather 
was mild and pleasant and the sea as smooth as glass, I was on deck until very 
late, or, rather, early. Indeed, the deck was at that time decidedly more com- 
fortable than my state-room, for my bed had been saturated with water during the 
storm. 
An aurora tried to display itself, but made such a poor show in the bright 
twilight that it soon retired in shame. 
The following day was clear and pleasant in the morning, but a fog settled 
down about 4 P. M., and the sea became quite rough. One of the sailors, Peter 
Du Prince, an old salt, attributed the bad weather to the fact that Stein, our 
engineer, had shot several gulls the day before. ‘This is a very common super- 
stition among sailors. Peter said he had noticed it ever since he was a boy, and 
found that bad weather invariably followed when birds were shot from the ship. 
This ‘ancient mariner,” Peter, is a wonderful character, but I have no time to 
devote to him. He says he cannot tell exactly how old he is, as he lost his papers 
when he was shipwrecked off Cape Horn. 
On Saturday, August 8, at 5:15 Pp. M., we dropped anchor in the harbor of 
Godhaven. It is a small harbor, about 600 yards long by 400 wide, with a very 
narrow entrance, which cannot be seen until you are almost on it. It is, how- 
ever, very safe and secure, and we were glad to rest there after our stormy 
passage. 
Kipuiset Coat Mine, Disco IsLanp, August 30.—I have had no opportu- 
nity to write anything since the 23d, but will now have to finish my letter, as the 
vessel will leave to day or to-morrow. 
When I left off, we had just anchored at Godhaven. Iam sorry that I have 
not time to give any adequate description of it or its inhabitants. The population 
consists of the Inspector and Governor and their families, two or three other 
Danes and about 130 Esquimaux. The Inspector is the chief man. He has 
charge not only of Godhaven, but of the whole of North Greenland. He is an 
