16 GREENLAND. Chap. T. 



from the grasp of winter in his shattered bark, 

 and firmly purposing to bid a long farewell to 

 this cheerless land, history altogether fails to 

 enlighten ns. 



From January until July this coast is usually 

 rendered unapproachable by a broad margin of 

 heavy ice, which drifts there from the vicinity 

 of Spitzbergen, and, lajDping round the Cape, 

 extends alongshore to the northward about as 

 far as Baal's River, a distance of 250 miles. 

 Although it effectually blockades the ports of 

 South Greenland for the greater part of the 

 summer, and is justly dreaded by the captains 

 of the Greenland traders, it confers important 

 benefits upon the Greenlander by bearing to 

 his shores immense numbers of seals and many 

 bears. The same current which conveys hither 

 all this ice is also freighted with a scarcely less 

 valuable supply of driftwood from the Siberian 

 rivers. 



About this time, one of my crew showing 

 symptoms of diseased lungs, I determined to 

 embrace the earliest opportunity of sending him "' 

 home out of a climate so fatal to those who are 

 thus affected ; and having learnt from Mr. Peter- 

 sen, who had quitted Greenland only in April 

 last, that a vessel would very soon leave Frede- 

 rickshaab for Copenhagen, I resolved to go to 



—. C) 



