22 G. Holm. 



The country. — The surrounding country of Angmagsalik is 

 a decidedly mountainous region, within which the inland ice has 

 been dammed up. The countr}" is high and rocky, and the moun- 

 tains fall away steeply down to the sea, while the coast is much 

 indented. The three main fjords are: the 20 miles long Sermiligak, 

 the 36 miles long Angmagsalik , and the 60 miles long Sermilik, 

 which are connected with straits partially cutting off large islands, 

 on which mountains over 2000 feet high are carried along right 

 out to sea. Towards the bottom of the fjords the height of the 

 mountains rises to over 6000 feet. Many small glaciers are to be 

 seen everywhere on the mountains, but "calving" glaciers occur 

 only at the bottom of Sermiligak and Sermilik, and only one of 

 them, namely the one which comes from the west arm of Sermilik, 

 sends out large icebergs into the sea, for it comes from the "in- 

 land ice" itself. The "inland ice" formerly covered a more extensive 

 part of the land than it does now, as is sufficiently evidenced by 

 striation, undulating valleys, which are undoubtedly ancient seats of 

 glaciers, and smooth rounded islands. There are comparatively few 

 plains and valleys of any extent, so that the only places suited for 

 habitation are short stretches of coast, or low islands and headlands. 



The minerals are chiefly gneiss and granite. The only useful 

 mineral found is pot-stone, from which the natives here, like those 

 on the West coast, make pots and lamps. It is obtained especially 

 in the south at Pikiutdlek and Inigsalik. Other useful minerals have 

 not been found in the rocks. 



Plants. — When the snow melts in spring, the country is seen 

 to be covered with a quite luxuriant vegetation, consisting chiefly 

 of heaths and mosses. The country has no trees, the wood of which 

 can be turned to account; only the more favoured spots have a little 

 willow copse and dwarf birch. 



Although the natives live almost entirely on animal food, they 

 eat a number of plants which, although of small value from the 

 point of view of nutrition, nevertheless have their importance, as 

 rendering the food of the natives less monotonous than it would 

 otherwise be. 



The following edible plants may be mentioned: 



Tugdlerunat — Sedum rhodiola, 



Nukut — the root of the same, 



Nutugkat — sorrel {Oxyria digyna), 



Kuaralik — angelica {Archangelica officinalis), 



Nunat — dandelion {Taraxacum officinale), 



Pukugak — black crowberry {Empetrum nigrum), 



