GREENLAND. 



and the fogs on the fea-coaft are infalubrious. The land near 

 the (liorc exhibits a pleafing verdure, but the inland moun- 

 tains are perpetually covered with ice and fnovv. Beyond the 

 68th degree of latitude the cold is %cry iiitenie, fo that the 

 rocks ottcB burlt by the froft ; and towards the end of 

 Auguft, the whole coafl; is covered with ice, which nevjr 

 thaws till April or Mav, and fomrtiuies not till the latter 

 end of June. The prodigious mafies of ice that furround 

 the whole coaft exhibit an appearance, in calm weather, no 

 lets dazzling than dreadful, by the refleftion of the fun- 

 \ beams in its variety of colours ; but when the wind blows 

 and the waves are lifted up in mountain billows, tliefe maffes 

 of ice dalhing againft one another otc ifion (liocks that 

 make the obferver tremble. Thunder and lightning fcldor.i 

 occur in Greenland, but the Aurora Borealis has frequent 

 and brilliant appearances. At the time of new and full 

 moon, the tide rifes and falls upon this cn.ift about three 

 fathoms, and the fprings and fountains on lliore rife and fall 

 with the flux and reflux of the ocean. 



The foil of Greenland refembles that of other mountain- 

 ous countries, the hills being barren, and the vallies and low 

 grounds, efpecially near the fea, rich and fruitful. It is, for 

 the m-ift part, unfertile clay or fand. But whatever is faidof 

 the fertility of Greenland is applicable only to that part which 

 lies between the 6oth and 65th degrees of latitude. The mofl 

 northern parts are totally dellitute of herbs and plants. This 

 country is faid to have formerly produced a great number of 

 cattle, aud to have exported confiderable quantities of butter 

 and cheefe to Norway. Some parts of the country yielded 

 excellent wheat, and the oaks that grew in it were fo large as 

 to furnifli acorns as big as apples. In its prcfent ftate,however, 

 though fome oaks remain, and the traces of ploughed land 

 are perceivable, Greenland is dellitute both of corn and 

 cattle ; but its pafture is good, and if the foil were properly 

 cultivated, it would probably yield grain. It produces ex- 

 cellent turnips and coleworts. The fides of the mountains 

 near the bays are clothed with wild thyme, of powerful fra- 

 grance. The country abounds alfo with many other plants, 

 and among its fruits we may reckon juniper-berries, blue- 

 berries, bilberries, and bramble-berries. 



The animals which are mofl: abundant, are rein-deer, dogs 

 refembling wolves, (fee Dog,) aritic foxes, and white or 

 polar bears. Hares of different colours are common, but they 

 are imaller than thofe of Denmark and Norway. The walrus, 

 and five kinds of feals, frequent the fliores. Here arc found 

 alio ravens in great numbers, eagles of a very large fize, 

 falcons, and other birds of prey, and likewife a linnet, which 

 warbles very melodioufly. Whales, fword-filh, porpoifes, 

 &c., abound on the coafts ; and alfo halybut, turbot, cod, 

 haddock. Sec. The fpecies of infefts exceed 90. The more 

 dubious animals, which are faid to inhabit thefe feas, are the 

 mermaids, fea-ferpents, and krakens. The polar bears, feals, 

 and manati, fays Pennant, (Arftic Zoology,) were origin- 

 ally natives of thefe countries. The other quadrupeds found 

 their way here from either Hudfon's bay or Labrador, on 

 the iflands of ice. The arctic fox found the lame kind of 

 ..'onveyauce from Greenland to Iceland as it did with the 

 rein-deer to Spitzbergen. To the lall was wafted, probably 

 from Labrador, the common weafel, the red or common fox, 

 and the nioufe, which mifled Greenland, but Hocked Iceland ; 

 and the common bat, which was originally renipelt driven to 

 the latter from Norway ; the wolverene and varying hare 

 never reached fartlier than Greenland. Tliis, fays Pennant, 

 feems the progrefs of quadrupeds in the frigid /one, as high 

 if, land is found. 



Greenland is thought to contain many mines of metal. 

 Tj the ioathward of the Daniih colonv arc foiiic appear- 



ances of a mine of copper ; Mr. Egcde once received a lump 

 of ore from one of the natives, and here he found calamine 

 of a yellow colour. Crantz obferves, that the Iiighefl: 

 mountains of this country are on the weft fide, and the rocks 

 are full of clefts, commonly perpendicular, and feldom 

 wider than half a yard, filled with fpar, quartz, talc, and 

 garnets. The rocks are generally rather vertical or fomc- 

 what inclined, confii'ting of granite, with fome fand-ftone and 

 lapis olaris. Cra.'itz alfo mentions micaceous fchiilus, coarfe 

 marble, and fcrpentine ; with afbeftos and amianthus, cryf- 

 tals, and black fthorl. It is faid that fluate of argill, a new 

 fubfl:ancr, has been recently found in Greenland ; and this is 

 perhaps the foft tranfparent ftone of Crantz. The lapis 

 olarir, is of Angular utility in Greenland, and 'the north of 

 Am>-rica, as it is ufed for lamps and culinary utenfils. 



The prefent inhabitants of the wefteru coaft of Green- 

 lind, and who are the defcer.dants of the ancient .Ski-a;llings, 

 whom we have already mentioned, and who exterminated the 

 Iceland colony, very much refemble the American Samoieds 

 and Laplanders in th::ir perfons, complexions, and way of 

 life. They are without doubt a branch of the Efquimaux of 

 Labrador, who fled that country, and peopled Greenland. 

 They are ftiort, brawny, and incUned to corpulency ; with 

 broad faces, flat nofes, thick lips, black hair and eyes, and 

 a yellowifli tawny complexion. They are for the moft part 

 vigorous and healtliy, but very fliort-lived, few reaching the 

 grand climatleric, and many dying in their infancy, and in 

 the prime of their youth. The fliarpr.efs of the wind, and 

 the glare of the fnow, render them fubjeci to a diforder of 

 the eyes. They are alfo afflitted with the leprofy ; and 

 thofe wlio inhabit tlie northern parts are miferably tor- 

 mented with dyienteries, rheums and pulmonary diforders, 

 boils, and epilcpfy. The fmall-pox in 1 734 made dreadful 

 havock among thefe people, who have no aid from medicine» 

 and who depend merely on their " Angekoks," or con- 

 jurers. Tlie Greenlanders, with regard to their conftitu- 

 tional temperament and difpofition, are cold, phlegmatic, 

 indolent, and dull of apprehenfion ; but quiet, orderly, and 

 good-humoured. They live peaceably together ; and have 

 every thing in common, without ftrife and animofity ; and te 

 ftrangers tliey are civil and hofpitable. They never wa(h 

 thcmfelves with water, but lick their paws like the cat, and 

 then rub their faces with th^'in. They eat after their dogs 

 without wafhing their difliis ; devour the hce which devour 

 them ; and even lick the fweat, which they fcrape off from 

 their faces with their knives. The women wafli theinfelves 

 with their own urine, under a notion that it makes their liair 

 to grow ; and in the winter-time immediately expofe them- 

 iclves to the air, that the liquor may freeze upon their fliin. 

 Ill their general habit and manner they are intolerablv 

 filthy. In times of fcarcity they fubfiil on pieces of old 

 fkin, reeds, fea-weed, and a root called " tugloronet,'" 

 drefled with train oil and fat. The dung of rein-deer taken 

 from the inteftines, the entrails of partridges, aitd all forts of 

 o.fals, are counted dainties among thefe lavages ; and of the 

 Icrapings of fea!-(kins they make delicate pancakes. The 

 D.'.nilh jjrovifions were at firll tafted by them with difgull 

 and abhorrence ; but they are now become fond of bread 

 and butter, though lliey ilill retain an averfion to tobacco 

 and fpirituous liquors. The Greenlanders in common con- 

 tciit themfelves with one wife, who is condemned to drud- 

 gery, and liable to be divorced at the pleafure of the hufljand. 

 Perlons of fuperior rank and qualities are, liowevi-r, indulged 

 with a plurality of wires. Their young women are generally 

 chafte aad baihful ; ncverthelefs, at fome of their feafts the 

 men retire with the wives of their neighbours for licentiout 

 amours. Tlieirfuperllitiouscuftomsarcinnumcrable;^ _f.T\'l«'i 

 <; B 2 a woman 



