June, 1858. DANISH ESTABLISHMENTS. 127 



tlieir frightened lords and more active juniors 

 having effected their escape. * 



Upon one of these islands a stone was picked 

 up some 30 years ago, bearing a Runic inscrip- 

 tion ; it was sent home to Copenhagen as a 

 most interesting relic of the early Scandinavian 

 voyagers ; but nothing was on it except the 

 names of those men " who cleared this place " 

 (or formed a settlement), and the date, 1135. 

 In all probability their sojourn was extremely 

 short, perhaps only for a single summer. The 

 Esquimaux did not make their appearance for 

 nearly two centuries later. 



After Egede's settlement at Godhaab in 

 1721, the Danish trading establishments gradu- 

 ally extended along the coast, and Upernivik 

 was one of them ; but it appears to have been 

 soon abandoned. During Napoleon's wars all 

 the Danish posts were withdrawn, as the British 

 fleet effectually cut off communication with 

 Europe ; but after peace was restored in 1815, 

 the trading posts were again resorted to, and 

 a new settlement formed near the ruins of the 

 old one at Upernivik ; it enjoys pre-eminence 

 as the most northern abode of civilized man. 



