556 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 
deserted him at Etah. He is now quite old, and is generally considered a lazy, 
trifling kind of a fellow. 
On August 17 we had a snow storm, the snow falling to the depth of seven 
or eight inches. 
The repairs on our ship were completed August 20, and the next day we left 
at 9:30 A. M. for the coal mine. We arrived at Rittenbenk—my future home— 
at 5:15 Pp. M. the same day. 
Rittenbenk is situated on a small island about fifty-five miles, in a direct 
line, east of Godhaven. It is about the same size as the latter, and, though 
further from the sea, is almost as important a place. The inhabitants are all 
Esquimaux except the Governor (an old bachelor), his secretary and another 
Dane. The Governor, unlike most Governors of North Greenland, is an edu- 
cated gentleman, and is very kind and hospitable. He gave us a good house, 
with two rooms and a kitchen, and promised to do everything in his power to 
make us comfortable. He can speak English pretty well, and seems to look 
forward with a great deal of pleasure to our company this winter. 
The following day, Sunday, we took breakfast with the Governor, and I 
tasted reindeer and ptarmigan, for the first time, both of which were delicious. 
At night the natives had a dance, and, though it was Sunday, I could not resist ~ 
the temptation to see it. The music was furnished by two violins in the hands 
of twoold Esquimaux. All the modern dances were indulged in, from a quadrille 
to a waltz. The native ladies danced and acted the same as our fashionable ladies 
do on similar occasions—if anything, they danced more gracefully, as they had 
no dresses and skirts to encumber their motions. The men, too, were more at 
ease, as they were not in perpetual fear of treading on their partners’ skirts. Of 
course, as I do not dance, I remained an idle spectator, but most of our party 
indulged in the sport. Indeed, the native gentlemen were kept completely in 
the shade, and could find no partners until our party left. 
On Monday, August 23, we landed stores for Dr. Pavy and myself—every- 
thing to make us comfortable—provisions, clothing, cooking utensils, etc., and, 
besides, a great many books and other reading matter. 
After landing our stores we left Rittenbenk for the coal mine of Kidliset, 
about forty miles distant. We dropped anchor that night about 10:30 in a small 
exposed bay, three miles north of Sakkak. The bay was very shallow, and we 
came near running aground. Sakkak, a small settlement, is situated on the 
peninsula of Nomsoak, part of the main land of Greenland. It is separated 
from Disco Island by Waigat Strait, about sixteen miles wide. 
On the morning of the 24th, the Governor of Sakkak came on board, from 
whom we obtained seven natives to assist in mining coal, and at 11:30 A. M. we 
started across the strait to the coal mine. The wind was blowing hard and the 
strait was quite rough, so as there is no harbor at the mine, we were forced to put 
back. But, instead of going to our anchorage of the night before, we put into the 
harbor of Sakkak, very shallow and scarcely wide enough for a ship to swing 
