286 
BESSESTEDR. 
collect from other authors. Few countries, per¬ 
haps, present so interesting a field for the 
geologist. 
*** While waiting for the sailing of the ship, one 
of my little excursions in the neighborhood of 
Reikevig led me to Bessestedr, about eight or 
nine miles distant, a place that was for a long 
time the residence of the governors of the coun¬ 
try, but is now only remarkable for having one 
of the neatest churches I any where saw, and a 
Latin school, the only one in the island. On 
this account, I may be the more readily allowed, 
in addition to what I have to offer from my 
own observation, to enlarge upon its history, 
with which I am furnished by Mr. Jorgensen # , 
who accompanied me in this expedition. The 
building itself is of stone, and tolerably good, 
* Among the improvements, which it was Mr. Jorgensen’s 
intention to have made in the island, had he been permitted 
to have retained his office as governor, that of bettering the 
miserable condition of the scholars at Bessestedr was not the 
least meritorious or of the least importance. He had ap¬ 
pointed Bishop Videlinus, Provst Magnussen, Assessor Einer- 
sen, and himself, directors of the school, and ordered that 
one or other should attend for a few hours every day. A 
thousand dollars were immediately advanced for the purchase 
of more wholesome provisions than the boys had been ac¬ 
customed to, and the house was directed to be thoroughly 
cleaned and white-washed: during the time required for 
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