8 
VOYAGE TO GREENLAND. 
to the dominion of Denmark; they are twenty- 
five in number, extending from latitude 61° 15' to 
62° 10' north. When the day is at the greatest 
length in them, the sun rises at seven minutes 
past two, and sets at fifty-three minutes past nine 
o’clock ; on the shortest day, the sun rises at fifty- 
three minutes past nine, and sets at seven minutes 
past two. These islands were discovered and 
peopled in the reign of Harold Haarfager, king of 
Norway, and Griener Camban was the first in- 
habitant of one of them. The Christian religion 
being fully established in Denmark, about the year 
1000, the Gospel was propagated, a bishop ap- 
pointed to these islands, and Stromoe fixed as his 
place of residence ; the diocese consists of seven 
parishes and thirty -nine churches. The islands are, 
together with Iceland, under one governor ; but 
different subordinate officers superintend the trade 
carried on between them and Copenhagen. 
In passing the latitude in which Iceland lies, 
I observed several Solan geese, (Pelicanus Bassanus, 
Linn.,) singly passing, and each pursuing the same 
direct course, from that island to the Ferroes. The 
setting of the sun this evening, was attended with 
the richest tinted clouds I had ever beheld, and 
when the great luminary had sunken below the 
surface of the deep, it left its reflected representa- 
tion, (though of an oblong form,) for a considerable 
time hanging in the curtain of heaven. 
The wind, which had hitherto been 
favourable, changed to north-east; blew 
