Kerguelen’s voyage to the north. 789 eiglrt days at Patrixfiord, I made ready to depart for Berghen in Norway, to take in a month’s provifions ; but before I leave the weftern part of Iceland, it will be proper to fay fomething of Greenland, the land moll: contiguous to Iceland. Reflecting Greenland we have only an imperfect knowledge Some geographers look upon it to this day as an ifland, others as a peninfula. This country was dif- covered by a perfon of the name of Gunbiorn, and made more particularly known by Eric, furnamed Red-head in 982. The green pallures of the country caufed him to call it Greenland. He faw favages there, who doubtlefs had palfed over there from America, but of the origin of which there is nothing certain. The king of Norway being informed of this difcovery, caufed miffionaries to be fent over with a colony. The Greenlanders in 1256, revolted againft King Magnus, but this prince affifted by the Danes, reduced them again to fubjedtion in 1261. The black plague which ravaged all the north, interrupted navigation to Greenland, and for two ages the coun- try remained entirely forgot. Martin Frobifher left England in 1576, to attempt to reach Greenland, but the ice did not allow of his landing until 1577. He gave his name to a ftrait in latitude 63°. In 1585 John Davis went more to the north, and gave his name to a ftrait which he difcovered. Chriflian IV. in 1605, fent three velfels thither,, which eflablilhed a trade with the Greenlanders, five of whom were brought to Copenhagen, but died of grief at being feparated from their country ; the next year five {hips were difpatched, and in 1616 this prince difpatched Captain Munck with two velfels for Hudfon’s Bay, in order to difcover a north-weft palfage. It is Captain Munck who gave the name of Farewell to the cape, which forms the fouth part of Greenland. In 1636 fome merchants of Copenhagen fent two velfels to Davis’s ftraits, who trafficked with the Greenlanders and brought back a large quantity of gold dull. It is not known for what reafon this trade was difcontinued by the Danes to 1718, when a clergyman full of zeal, obtained an order from the king to go over to Greenland with all his family. His name was Egede, and all the Greenlanders to whom he preached the gofpel, had the higheft veneration for him. In 1731 the King of Denmark recalled all his fubje&s from Greenland. Egede alone remained with all his family. The king fent thither again in 1734, and at this time the commerce of Greenland is carried on by the general.company of Copenhagen, which every year difpatches three Ihips to that country. The coafts of Greenland are difficult of accefs on account of the Ihelves and ice which furround them. It is even affirmed that Frobilher’s ftraits are at this day fo full of ice, that its exiftence is difputed. The eaftern part of Greenland, which is oppofite to Iceland is entirely inacceffible, owing to the ice floats which come from Spitzbergen, and which even Ihut the palfage fometitnes between Iceland and Greenland, which is thirty-five leagues wide. This happened in 1766, in that year it has been already ob- ferved the fiffiing velfels were never able to double cape North. The climate of Greenland is cold, and the weather very inconftant and variable. In the vallies, the ground confifts of marffies and turf, and the mountains, which are fo many lharp rocks* are covered with ice and fnow; trees are met with here in no greater abundance than in Iceland. There are in Greenland feveral mountains of Amianthus. Very fmall white hares are found here, and rein-deer, but which have no refem'blance to the Lapland rein-deer. The foxes there are grey, white, and blue ; bears are met with, but which no ways referable the bears of other countries, they have more fupplenefs, and are more nimble. No other birds are feen but thofe called Riper by the Icelanders, which build their nefts in the higheft rocks j but as well as in Iceland, there

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