66 



ARCTIC RESEARCH EXPEDITION. 



shells upon it, and covered with driftwood ten feet above high- 

 water mark. One piece was twelve feet long. Here, from a boat 

 that took us off, we heard that the town of Holsteinborg was 

 much alarmed about the fire up in the mountain, and, from what 

 I afterward gathered in an explanation I had with the governor 

 when I apologized for our thoughtlessness, it was evident that the 

 Esquimaux dreaded the loss of what they considered their best 

 fields — not woods — of fuel. Fortunately, the fire went out in 

 about an hour after its discovery by the people. 



It was on this Sunday afternoon that I heard of a curious cus- 

 tom here. The dance-house is regularly opened after 4 P.M. 

 The people go to church in the morning and afternoon, then they 

 consider Sunday to cease, and amusement begins. I went to the 

 dance-house, where I found the governor, his lieutenant, Miss Bu- 

 lou, and Mrs. Kjer. Miss Bulou and the lieutenant governor 

 danced, but the governor has not for years, and the priest and his 

 wife never. Sometimes 150 persons are crowded into this dance- 

 house. 



I asked the governor when the Sabbath began. He replied, 

 " On Saturday evening, and ends Sunday at 4 P.M." I farther 

 inquired if the Esquimaux were at liberty to work after that 

 hour on Sundays. He said, " No, certainly not." " Then how is 

 it the government dance-house is opened for balls at that time?" 

 said I. "Oh, that is not work!" responded the good Governor 

 Elberg. 



Eeferring to the amusements of these native Greenlanders, I am 

 led to speak of a great festival that occurs here on the Danish 

 king's birthday, and is general, on the same day, throughout all 

 the settlements. His Danish majesty supplies the good cheer, and 

 Europeans as well as Esquimaux join in the festivity. It is a 

 most enlivening scene, as the accompanying sketch will show. 

 The original of this picture, which I have in my possession, was 

 drawn by a Grreenlander, and Mrs. Kjer, who gave it to me, said 

 it was an admirable representation of the great festal day. 



On another occasion I visited the church one Sunday morning, 

 when the school-teacher — a native Esquimaux — preached exceed- 

 ingly well, and I must say that the general attention given would 

 do credit to people any where. The preacher played an organ, 

 and went through the whole services in a most praiseworthy man- 

 ner. Indeed, I was much struck with the great advance made by 

 the native inhabitants of Holsteinborg in Christian and general 



