A GREENLAND SETTLEMENT 43 
who migrated from the west over the northern 
edge of the island. It is, however, the opinion of 
Knud Rasmussen, who is familiar with that region, 
that the supposed route by the north coast is im- 
possible owing to the lack of food-animals and 
because of the very great physical difficulties. The 
east Greenlanders probably travelled from the 
north, down the west coast and by Cape Farewell. 
Along the greater part of the east coast the land 
is very difficult of access because of the large 
quantity of ice that drifts south with the polar 
current, but in the neighbourhood of Angmags- 
salik streams from the hills tend to disperse the 
ice, and it is usually possible for a steamer to 
reach the Settlement once in the course of each 
summer. The only route at present available by 
which a traveller can go from the west to the east 
side of Greenland is via Copenhagen. 
The number of Danish officials in Greenland is 
about fifty. In the larger Settlements, or colonies, 
as the Danes call them, there are from 150 to 500 
people; a Danish Factor, or local governor, a 
doctor, a Danish, or it may be a native, pastor, 
and perhaps two or three other Europeans. In a 
typical Settlement there is a mixture of timber 
houses built under the supervision of a Danish 
carpenter, and the low stone-and-turf houses of 
the Eskimoes. The more primitive huts are entered 
through a long, low passage like a tunnel, partly 
above ground, which leads to the living room, 
often decorated with coloured prints from Den- 
mark; a three-legged stool supports a soapstone 
