An Abstract of a Natural History of Greenland, by Hans Egedius, Intituled, Det Gamle Gronlands Perlustraction, Eller Naturel-Historie, af Hans Egede. Biobenhabn, 1741. 4to. Communicated by John Green, M. D. Secretary of the Gentlemens Society at Spalding

X. An Abstract of a Natural History of Greenland, by Hans Egedius, intituled, Det gamle Gronlands Perlustration, eller Naturel-Historie, af Hans Egede. Kjøbenhavn, 1741. 4to. Communicated by John Green, M.D. Secretary of the Gentlemens Society at Spalding. The Title Page is as follows. A Description of old and new Greenland, or a Natural History of old Greenland's Situation, Air, Habitude, and Circumstances. The Beginning and End of the old and new Norwegian Colonies. The present Inhabitants, their Original, Manners, Living, and Employments. The Products, as Beasts, Birds, Fish, &c. With a new Chart, and several Copper Plates. By Hans Egedius, formerly Missionary in Greenland, and now Superintendant and Professor in that Language. It is dedicated to the Prince Royal of Denmark, &c. Imprimatur Marc Woldike. Cap. I. Situation, Climate, and Soil, to p. 4. Greenland lies about 160 English Miles West from Iceland; begins at 59 Degrees, 40 Minutes North Latitude. Its East Side stretches to Spitzbergan 78 to 80 Degrees Latitude, and believed to be an Island separate from Greenland. Its West Side is known to 70 Degrees Latitude. If Greenland is an Island, or joined to other Countries, it is not known for a Certainty, but probably joins to America on the North-west Side: For between America and Greenland, stretches the Fretum, or Bay, called in the Sea-Charts Davis's Streights, which is navigated by them and other Nations on Account of the Whale-fishery, but to the Bottom of this Sound no Ship has ever been. Greenland is an high rocky Country, which is always covered with Ice and Snow, which never thaws except near the Sea. The highest Land can be seen 80 English Miles from the Sea. The whole Coast is fortified with large and small Islands. It has several Firths or Rivers, which run a long Way within Land; amongst which is Baal's River, where the first Danish Colony was fixed in 1721, which runs 80 Miles within Land. That in all Sea-Charts called Forbisher's-Streight, also Baer-Sound, which are said to make Two large Islands at a Distance from the main Land; but, in Reality, I did not find them so. Cap. II. Colonies and Conversion, to p. 23. Greenland was first discovered by the Norwegians and Icelanders; and the brave Raude, who first discovered it in 982, praised it, and persuaded several of his Countrymen to inhabit it; and at the Instance of Oluf Tryggeson, first Christian King in Norway, carried a Priest with him, who taught and baptized all the Inhabitants; and from time to time Greenland multiplied into new Colonies, many Churches and Abbeys were built, Bishops and other Teachers provided for: But the Norwegians were not the first In- Inhabitants; for they found wild People on the West Side, who without doubt were originally Americans. The present Inhabitants probably are a Race of the Schrellingers. In 1545, Dithmar Blefken reports a Monk, with his Bishop, sailed to Norway, lived to 45 Years in Iceland: And he reports, that a Dominican Cloister was in Greenland, called St. Thomas. But this is proved false by Arngrim. Mogens Heixson was sent to find out Greenland, and was obliged to return, because his Ship was stopped (as he imagined) by magnetical Rocks under Water, although the Wind was favourable; but the real Magnets probably was the Current, which is so strong at Staton Point, a Ship under full Sail with the fairest Wind sails slow. In 1721, a Company of Traders was set up in Bergen, with a Royal Privilege, when King Frederic resolved to begin a Colony at 64 Degrees, wherewith I and my Family went, and continued 15 Years. Our Design was to find the Eastern District, as the best: A Hollander affirmed some of their Ships had been there, and found the Land free from Ice in 62 Degrees. This I found to be true in 1736. On passing Staton, Huck, and Cape Farewel, near the Land, then free from Ice on the Coast, which was not usual: But as it is seldom that Ships can come with Safety to the East Side, it is most convenient with small Boats through the Openings near the Main, where the Current setting South-west prevents the Ice from fixing. Cap. III. Natural Products, to p. 27. In the Bay of Hope there are many good Places for feeding of Cattle, with proper Ground for Tillage, and good Water: No Trees, except within the Rivers, only Brush-wood: Juniper-bushes abound here, whose Berries are the Size of the largest Pease. There are divers Plants here, as Angelica, Rosemary, Scurvy-grass; and a Grass with yellow Flowers, whose Root smells like Roses in the Spring. In 60 and 65 Degrees, the Country is best, and Barley will ripen there: Turneps and Colwort grow well; especially the first, which are large, and of a sweet Taste. There are Rocks which produce Verdegrise, as also Sulphur or Brimstone, Marcasite; and I found on an Island one of a yellow brown Sand, having Cinabarine red Veins. There are whole Mountains of the Asbestos. There is found a grey Stone, or Bastard Marble, of different Colours. The Sea produces several sorts of Conchs and Mussels, also divers sorts of Corallines. Cap. IV. Air and Weather, to p. 32. The Summer here lasts from May to September: The Cold at 64 Degrees is moderate, but at 68, &c., extreme, and will freeze Brandy. The Land is constantly covered with Ice and Snow, except near the Sea, and in the Rivers. Although the Summer oft-times is warm in Greenland, it seldom or never thunders, &c. The Aurora Borealis is so strong here towards New Moon in clear Weather, as you may read by it. Cap. V. Beasts and Birds, Hunting and Fowling, to p. 36. Greenland produces Bears, which live on the Ice, and are dextrous at catching Otters, Seals, &c. Rain Deer are in great Plenty. Hares are very large, good and white all the Year. There are plenty of Foxes. They have Dogs, none of which can bark, only howl. Their Birds are the Ryper, or Wood-Partridge, Ravens, Eagles, Falcons, Sparrows, Goldfinches, &c. The Mosquitoes are very troublesome in July and August. Cap. VI. Fishes and Amphibious Animals, and Fishing; Whales, Narval or Sea-Unicorn, and Sea-Birds, to p. 55. The Sea produces Whales, the Fin-fish, which live on a kind of Louse, brown-coloured, who moves so slow, that he may be taken by Hand. This Creature is oily, and, when rubbed with the Fingers, produces Train. There is another sort of Whale in these Seas, called North-Capers, which feed on Herrings; as also the Sword-fish, who is the Whale's greatest Enemy; and when he kills one, eats nothing but his Tongue, leaving the rest to the Shark, Walross, and Birds of Prey. In these Seas are Cachelots or Pot-fish, a sort of Whales, their Length 50 to 70 Feet. The White-fish are likewise in these Seas, like a Whale, but without Fins on the Back. There is likewise a small Whale produced here called Butts-kops; as also Unicorns of the Whale kind, which they call Narval. Their Horn, as some Authors affirm, are not Teeth, because its Root is not in the Jaws, but goes a long Way into the Head. The Niser, or Porpoise, are also in these Seas; as also the Walross, shaped like a Seal, but much larger; his Flesh is like fat Pork: His irreconcilable Enemy is the white Bear. There are several Sizes of Seals, but of the same Shape, except the Klap-myfs, which has a cartilaginous Hood, which covers his Eyes. There are other Fish, as Sharks, Holly-butts, Red-fish, Trout, Salmon, Bull-heads, Stone-biters, Smelts, Whitings, Herrings, and a Fish like a Bream, with Pricks on its whole Body. There are Mussels, and some large ones that produce the Pearl: Here also are Shrimps, Crabs, &c. Amongst the Sea-birds are the Edder, Ducks of Three Kinds; as likewise the Alker, and the Tor-nauviarsuk, which has beautiful Feathers, and the Size of a Lark: There also are Geese here. Greenland produces Maws, Redshanks, Cormorants, Lunders, Parrots, Sharvers, Tersters, Angle-tasters, Snipes, &c. Cap. VII. Implovments and Utensils, to p. 63. The Implovments of the Greenlanders, on Shore, are to shoot Rain-Deer; and at Sea to catch Whales, Seals, Birds, &c. The Bow is about Six Feet long, of tough Fir, which they bind round with Deer Sinews: The Point of the Arrow is pointed with Iron or Bone. All the sort of Fish they catch, and cannot eat fresh, they dry against Winter. The Boats are of Two sorts; one used only by the Men, about Three Fathom in Length, their Breadth about 19 Inches, with an Hole in the Middle, not larger larger than one Man, close-laced, can thrust himself into; with these Boats they are able to row 72 Miles a Day, using only one Oar. Cap. VIII. Manners and Habitations, to p. 66. Their Houses are of Two sorts, Winter and Summer: The former are made of Turf and Stone, from Four to Six Feet high, flat-roofed; on one Side are the Windows, made of bleached Seal-guts, Holly-butt Maws, sewn together, and are sufficiently transparent: Their Doors are very low, they creep in on their Hands and Knees. Their Summer-houses are made by raising Poles, which they cover with young Seal-skins. Cap. IX. Shape, Constitutions and Tempers, to p. 68. The Inhabitants of the Northern Parts are troubled with Dysenteries, Bloody-fluxes, &c. They have seldom any contagious Distempers: They use no Medicines; and, instead of Remedies, their Conjurers mumble over their Bodies some strange Jargon. Wounds they sew up; Cataracts on the Eyes they take off as follows: They insert a crooked Needle under the Skin, and with a Knife raise it up, and draw it off safely. When their Children are troubled with Worms, the Mother puts her Tongue up the Fundament, to kill them. Cap. X. XI. and XII. Of their Customs, Capacities, Cloathing, Diet, and Cookery, to p. 77. Cap. XIII. Marriages and Education, to p. 82. They have riotous Assemblies, in which it is reckoned good Breeding, when a Man lends his Wife to a Friend. None come to these but married People. The Women esteem it a piece of Fortune when they have to do with their Prophet, and the Husbands pay them for the Honour; especially if they prove with Child, their own Endeavours having been fruitless. The Women, as soon as delivered, go immediately about their usual Work. The Navel-string must not be cut by a Knife, but a Muscle-shell, or bit off; when dried, it is used as a Charm. They hold a Piss-pot over the Womens Heads whilst in Labour, thinking it to promote hasty Delivery: They seldom bring Twins, but often Monsters. Cap. XIV. Manner of burying their Dead, and preserving their Corpses under Tumuli of Stones. Cap. XV. Games, Poetry, Music, and Dancing, to p. 93. They have several Diversions amongst them, as Singing, Dancing, in which they challenge one another. They play likewise at Foot-ball: Thus, they say, the deceased Souls play in Heaven with a Walrus's Head, which is performed when the Aurora Borealis appears. Cap. XVI. and XVII. Language and Vocabulary, to p. 105. At Page 86, the Author presents his Reader with a Greenland Ode, much like Lapland Poetry. Their Language has no Affinity with any known European one: Few Words are like the old Norwegian. It is difficult of Pronunciation, as most of their Words are Gutturals. It has not the Letters c, d, f, g, x. Cap. XVIII. and XIX. Present State of Trade in Greenland, and of Religion there, to p. 120. Their Religion consists in nothing more than superstitious Ceremonies. Cap. XX. Astronomy, to p. 125. The Sun, Moon, Planets, and other Stars, they imagine had their Beginning from their Forefathers, and were formerly People by a singular Manner taken up to Heaven. They are of Opinion, that when the Moon does not appear, or is dark, it is seeking her Sustenance on the Earth: And they say further, that it sometimes comes down, and makes Whores of their Women; for which Reason none dare lie on their Backs, before they spit on their Fingers, and stroke it over their Bellies; and young Girls dare not stare at the Moon, for fear of conceiving by her. Cap. XXI. Considerations of the Reverend and Learned Author, for promoting the Success of his Mission, and the Salvation of the Greenlanders, to the End.