XV 



also, by means of the literature, been at disposal by the com- 

 pilation of the hand-book. 



The first arctic expedition, equipped in a modern way, 

 which contributed to the mineralogy of Greenland, was the 

 second German arctic expedition under Koldewey in 1869 — 70. 

 It explored the then unknown eastern coast of Greenland between 

 73° and 76° N. Lat. In 1870 A. E. Nordenskiöld's journey to Disco 

 and the neighbouring parts of the western coast procured an 

 important mineralogical result, as, by the assistance of the 

 Greenlanders, he succeeded in finding the large blocks of me- 

 tallic iron at Uifak on Disco, and thus in pointing out the 

 mineral locality which is often regarded as the most remarkable 

 one of all Greenland localities. Next Dr. K. J. V. Steenstrdp, in 

 1871 and 1872, with a support from the Danish government, 

 made a detailed mineralogical and geological examination of 

 Disco and its neighbourhood; by this examination not only the 

 telluric origin of the large blocks of iron, which had until then 

 been doubted, was established, but a thorough mineralogical 

 knowledge of some of the most interesting regions of Greenland 

 was for the first time obtained. For the general exploration of 

 Greenland this expedition , the first made by Dr. Steenstrup, 

 became of special interest, as forming the model of and the 

 introduction to the long series of scientific examinations in 

 Greenland made from Denmark during the last thirty years, 

 which have by degrees made Greenland the best known of 

 arctic countries. 



As is well known, the initiative of these systematic 

 explorations had its origin from J. F. Johnstrup , and the 

 commencement was made with the sending out of expedi- 

 tions the purpose of which was mainly mineralogical. When, 

 as above mentioned, the occurrence of the telluric iron in 

 Disco had been investigated in 1871 and 1872, it was the turn 

 of the other, especially important mineral locality in Green- 

 land, viz. Ivigtut with its cryolite deposit; this locality was 



