VOYAGE TO GREENLAND. 
169 
dous mountain geometrically, and found it to be six 
thousand eight hundred and seventy feet above the 
level of the sea. As we proceeded along the south 
and west sides, we sounded in thirty-seven fathoms, 
and brought up small shells. In the early part of 
the season the ice not only often surrounds this 
island, but extends from hence to the east side of 
Old Greenland. This island derives its name from 
that of a Dutch navigator who first saw it, in 1611 ; 
soon after that period it was visited by some whale 
fishers from Hull, who named it Trinity Island, and 
it was, on the petition of the corporation of that 
port, granted to them by King James 1st. It lies 
between 70° 50', and 71° 8' north latitude, and be- 
tween 7° 26', and 8° 4^4^' west longitude. It is in 
length about ten leagues north-east and south- 
west, and does not exceed three leagues in breadth 
over any part. The northern extremity is of a 
rhomboidal form, where the remarkable peak or 
mountain of Beeringberg is seated, the base of 
which covers the width ; but the southern extremity 
of the island does not exceed three or four miles 
in width. The Dutch, from deriving great advan- 
tage by the practice, constantly visited this island 
from its earliest discovery, for the purpose of fish- 
ing; and in 1633, seven seamen of that nation 
made the attempt to pass the winter there, no 
doubt, with a view of establishing a colony, but 
they masked their scheme, under the pretence of 
determining some scientific observations disputed 
among astronomers. It appears, that they survived 
