THE HOLSTEINBORG DISTRICT. 



51 



buildings with fire and sword, sparing nothing but the small par- 

 ishes, and carrying captive the wretched inhabitants of both sex- 

 es." Nothing, however, has been certainly known of their fate. 

 Only ruins of their churches and convents now remain. 



At length, in 1576, Martin Frobisher visited Friesland, now 

 known to be Greenland, on his voyage of discovery to the north- 

 west, but brought to light no particulars concerning the original 

 colonists. Afterward, in 1605, James Hall, an Englishman, under 

 Admiral Lindenow, was sent by Denmark to rediscover them if 

 possible. He succeeded in landing upon the west coast, and com- 

 municated with the natives, though nothing more resulted from 

 his visit. Other voyagers touched upon its shores ; but not until 

 1721, when that brave, and good, and truly Christian man, Hans 

 Egede, conceived the project of himself going to Greenland, to 

 spread religion among its natives, was any thing permanently ef- 

 fected. Then Greenland soon came into notice, and, at various 

 times, colonies and missionary establishments, under the Danish 

 flag, were formed along its coasts. At present there are thirteen 

 settlements, besides commercial and missionary stations. The 

 most northern official settlement is Upernavik, in lat. 73° N., 

 but there is a fishing establishment, called TessuisaJc, some few 

 miles still farther on. Holsteinborg is in lat. 66° 56' N., long. 53° 

 42' W. This latter place was, according to Crantz, the fifth col- 

 ony begun in Greenland, and first settled in the year 1759. It is 

 one of the most convenient places both for dwelling and trading. 



Holsteinborg District begins at North Stromsfiord, and extends 

 for about ninety-two English miles. Its breadth eastward from 

 the sea is also about ninety-two miles. There are four fiords in 

 the district, and the mountains upon it are high, though not so 

 lofty as farther north. The only European who has penetrated 

 far to the eastward through this district is Kielsen, in 1830. He 

 found the land not so mountainous as toward the sea. 



The harbor of Holsteinborg is good, and well landlocked. The 

 spring tides are about 12 feet. 



The buildings have, as I was told, the best appearance of any 

 in Greenland. They may be thus enumerated : 



The governor's house ; priest's house ; the church ; the lieuten- 

 ant governor's house; the dance-house; school -house ; brewing 

 house ; the blacksmith's ; two warehouses ; one cooperage ; one 

 "try" house for oil; thirteen Esquimaux houses, Danish built; 

 three turf houses for Esquimaux, and one dead-house, where de- 



