70 GKEELY RELIEF EXPEDITION. 



The Rock off Rifkol Island, marked on this same chart 30 miles 

 JSTW. i N. (true) from Rifkol Island, could not be seen from this 

 ship at a distance of less than 1 mile. The whalers say it exists, but, 

 if true, it must be much nearer the coast. 



Western and Whale-Fish Islands, in Disco Bay, are from 10' to 15' 

 of longitude west of the true position. Our course up run west of 

 the Western Islands 5 miles and 3 miles west of the Whale-Fish. 

 When up with the Western Islands they could not be seen on a per- 

 fectly clear day. They lie much closer to the shore. When up with 

 the Whale-Fish Islands we found ourselves at least 10 miles west of 

 them. The weather being clear and the ship steering for Disco Island, 

 in sight, this could not have occurred from current without detect- 

 ing it. 



Godhaven or Lievely is down on this chart from 10' to 15' of lon- 

 gitude west of its position as given in Bowditch's Navigator; head- 

 ing a little east of the position given in Bowditch it was difficult, 

 until close up, to distinguish the beacon. It is better to approach it 

 from the westward, as the beacon shows better from that direction. 



Upernavik Harbor chart gives a rock 75 yards in diameter ; the 

 rock is a pinnacle 10 yards in diameter and bare at low water. Angles 

 taken on the rock: W. end Olrick Island to Church, 122°; SW. end 

 Small Island close to village, to Church 20° 30'; Church to N. point 

 of entrance to Danish Harbor, 62° 10'. There are from 6 to 9 fathoms 

 of water around this rock. 



Approaches to Upernavik are extremely dangerous. Numerous 

 rocks and islands exist that are not down on the charts. The Thetis 

 touched on one and saw a number of others. 



If clear, make Sanderson's Hope, head in for it, and keep a good 

 lookout for rocks, are about the only directions that can be given. 



From Upernavik to Horse Head there are numbers of rocks not 

 marked on the charts, and many islands not even indicated. The 

 coast line is out of true position, and many of the islands are inaccu- 

 rately located. The longitude of Tassuisak appears correct. 



Duck Islands, from a number of observations for longitude and 

 latitude, were found out in position. The largest or southern island 

 is in latitude 74°, longitude 57° 46' W., instead of the position given 

 on the chart. 



The Devil's Thumb, a most important landmark in crossing Mel- 

 ville Bay, was established, from a number of positions well deter- 

 mined going north and returning south, to be in latitude 74° 38' N., or 

 18 miles north of the charted position. The whole coast line in the 

 vicinity of the Devil's Thumb is from 10 to 20 miles too far south. 

 All the islands and the entire coast line on the north side of Melville 

 Bay are out in latitude, probably 15 or 18 miles. 



Hakluyt Island off Northumberland Island is about 5 miles fur- 

 ther north than marked on the chart. Herbert Island and North- 



