In the year 1654, during the reign of King Frederick the Third, a noble and wealthy adventurer, by name Henry Muller, fitted out a ship for Greenland, under the command of David de Nelles, who arrived safe in Greenland, and brought from thence three women, whose names were Kunelik, Kabelau, and Sigokou; who, according to the opinion of Bishop Torlais, who had perused the said captain’s journal, were taken in the neighbourhood of Herjolsness, on the Eastern shore, as Thormoder Torfæus pretends; but which I cannot be made to believe. My opinion is, they were brought from the Western shore, near Baal’s River, as some of the inhabitants, who are still living, had in fresh remembrance, telling me their names, as they are laid down in the fore-mentioned Journal.
The last adventurer, that was sent upon the discovery of Greenland, according to Torfæus in his History of Greenland, was Captain Otto Axelson, in the year 1670, in the reign of Christian V of glorious memory. But what success this adventurer met with he leaves us to guess. Nevertheless we find, in a manuscript description of Greenland, written by Arngrim Vidalin, Part iii, chap. 1, that his said majesty did invite, and with great privileges encourage Mr. George Tormúhlen, counsellor of commerce at Bergen, to fit out ships for the said discovery; whereupon the said counsellor not only got ready shipping well stored for such an expedition, but also got together a number of passengers, who resolved to go and settle in those parts, whom he provided with all things necessary for that purpose; both provision and ammunition, as well as houses made of timber, ready to be erected in that country. But this great design miscarried, the ship being taken by the French and brought into Dunkirk.
Thus, for a long while, it seemed, that all thought of Greenland was laid aside until the year 1721; when after many well-meant invitations, and projects proposed by me to the Greenland company at Bergen in Norway, approved and authorised by his late majesty Frederick IV of glorious memory, the company thereupon resolved not only to send ships, but also to settle a colony in Greenland in 64°; when I went over with my whole family and remained there fifteen years. During my stay I endeavoured to get all the intelligence that could be procured both by sea and land of the present state of the country, and did not lose my labour; for I found some places that formerly were inhabited by the old Norwegians, on the Western shore. Which expedition I have lately treated of in another treatise, and set out in all its circumstances, and with all the difficulties it has laboured under; wherefore I think it need not be here repeated.
But whereas my main drift and endeavour has been all along chiefly to discover the Eastern district of Greenland, which always was reckoned the best of our ancient colonies, accordingly I received from the above mentioned Greenland company at Bergen a letter, in the year 1723, in which I was told, that it was his majesty’s pleasure, that the East district might likewise be visited and discovered. Which the better to effectuate, I took the resolution to make this voyage in person; and accordingly I coasted it Southwards, as far as to the States Promontory, looking out for the Strait of Frobisher, which would have been my shortest way, according to those charts, which lay the said strait down in this place; but such a strait I could not find. Now as it grew too late in the year for me to proceed farther, the month of September being nearly at an end, when the winter season begins in those parts, accompanied by dreadful storms, I was obliged to return.
In the year 1724 the directors of the said Bergen company, according to his majesty’s good will and pleasure, fitted out a ship to attempt a landing on the Eastern shore, as had been formerly practised on that coast which lies opposite to Iceland. But the surprising quantity of ice, which barricadoed the coast, made that enterprise prove abortive and quite miscarry, as many others had done. As there was no appearance for ships to approach this shore, the same king, in the year 1728, resolved, besides other very considerable expenses, to have horses transported to this colony, in hopes, that with their help they might travel by land to this Eastern district: but nothing was more impossible than this, project, on account of the impracticable, high, and craggy mountains perpetually covered with ice and snow, which never thaws. Another new attempt by sea was by order of the said king made in the year 1729, by Lieutenant Richard; who with his ship passed the winter near the new Danish colony, in Greenland, and in his voyage back to Denmark made all the endeavours he could to come at the aforesaid shore, opposite to Iceland; but all to no purpose, being herein disappointed, like the rest before him.
All these difficulties and continual disappointments have made most people lose all hopes of succeeding in this attempt: nevertheless, I flatter myself to have hit luckily on an expedient, which to me seems not impracticable though hitherto not tried, or at least but lightly executed; viz. to endeavour to coast the land from the States Promontory, or (as we call it) Cape Prince Christian, Northwards. The information I have had of some Greenlanders, who in their boats have coasted a great part of the East side, confirms me in my opinion; for although an incredible quantity of driven ice yearly comes from Spitzbergen or New Greenland along this coast, and passes by the States Promontory, which hinders the approaching of ships as far as the ice stretches, whereabout the best part of the Norwegian colonies were settled; yet there have been found breaks and open sea near the shore, through which boats and smaller vessels may pass; and according to the relation of the Greenlanders, as well as agreeably to my own experience, the current, that comes out of the bays and inlets, always running along the shore South Westwards, hinders the ice from adhering to the land, and keeps it at a distance from the shore; by which means the Greenlanders at certain times, without any hindrance, have passed and repassed part of this coast in their kone boats (so they call their large boats); though they have not been so far as where the old Norway colonies had their settlement; of which no doubt there are still some ruins to be seen on this Eastern shore. Furthermore I have been credibly informed by Dutch seamen that frequent these seas, that several of their ships have at times found the East side of Greenland cleared of the ice as far as 62°; and they had tarried some time among the out rocks on that coast, where they carried on a profitable trade with the savages. And I myself, in my return from Greenland homewards in the year 1736, found it to be so when we passed the States Promontory and Cape Farewell, and stood in near the shore, where at that time there was no ice to be seen, which otherwise is very uncommon. But as this happens so seldom, it is very uncertain and unsafe for any ship to venture so far up under the Eastern shore. But, as I observed a little before, it is more safe and practicable to coast it from the Promontory along the shore in small vessels; especially if there be a lodge erected in the latitude of between 60° and 61°: and it would be still more convenient, if there could be a way and means found likewise to place a lodge on the Eastern shore in the same latitude. For according to the account the ancients have left us of Greenland, the distance of ground that lies uncultivated between the West and East side is but twelve Norway miles by water. See Ivarus Beri’s relation; or, according to a later computation, it is a journey of six days in a boat. And as the ruins of old habitations, which I have discovered between 60° and 61°, are without doubt in the most Southerly part of the West side, it of necessity follows, that the distance cannot be very great from thence to the most Southern Parts of the Eastern side. Now, if it should be found practicable, at certain times, to pass along the shore with boats or small ships to the East side, to the latitude of 63° and 64°, little lodges might be settled here and there with colonies; by which means a constant correspondence might be kept, and mutual assistance given to one another, though larger ships could not yearly visit every one of them, but only touch at the most Southerly ones. I am also persuaded, that the thing is feasible, and if it should please God in his mercy to forward this affair, colonies might be established here, which, without great trouble, might be supplied yearly with all necessaries.
CHAP III.
Treats of the Nature of the Soil, Plants, and Minerals of Greenland.
AS to the nature of the soil, we are informed by ancient histories, that the Greenland colonies bred a number of cattle, which afforded them milk, butter, and cheese in such abundance, that a great quantity thereof was brought over to Norway, and for its prime and particular goodness was set apart for the King’s kitchen, which was practised until the reign of Queen Margaret. We also read in these histories, that some parts of the country yielded the choicest wheat corn, and in the dales or valleys the oak trees brought forth acorns of the bigness of an apple, very good to eat[24]. The woods afforded plenty of game of rein deer, hares, &c. for the sport of huntsmen. The rivers, bays, and the seas furnished an infinite number of fishes, seals, morses, and whales; of which all the inhabitants make a considerable trade and commerce. And though the country at present cannot boast of the same plenty and richness, as it lies destitute of colonies, cattle, and uncultivated; yet I do not doubt, but the old dwelling places, formerly inhabited and manured by the ancient Norway colonies, might recover their former fertility, if they were again peopled with men and cattle; inasmuch as about those places there grows fine grass, especially from 60° to 65°. In the great Bay, which in the sea charts goes under the name of Baal’s River, and at present is called the Bay of Good Hope (from the Danish colony settled near the entrance of this inlet), there are on both sides of the colony many good pieces of meadow ground, for the grazing and pasturing numbers of cattle, besides plenty of provision, which the sea as well as the land yields. Trees or woods of any consideration are rarely met with; yet I have found in most of the bays underwoods and shrubs in great quantity, especially of birch, elm, and willows, which afford sufficient fuel for the use of the inhabitants, The largest wood I have seen is in the latitude of 60° and 61°, where I found birch trees two or three fathom high, somewhat thicker than a man’s leg or arm: small juniper trees grow also here in abundance, the berries of which are of the bigness of grey peas. The herb called quaun, which is our angelica, is very obvious and common, as well as wild rosemary, which has the taste and smell of turpentine; of which, by distillation, is extracted a fine oil and spirit, of great use in medicine. That precious herb, scurvy grass, the most excellent remedy for the cure of the distemper which gives its name, grows everywhere on the sea side, and has not so bitter a taste as that of softer climates; I have seen wonderful effects of its cure. The country also produces a grass with yellow flowers, whose root smells in the spring like roses: the inhabitants feed thereupon, and find benefit by it. In the bays and inlets you have wild thyme at the side of the mountains, which after sunset yields a fragrant smell. Here also you meet with the herb tormentil, or setfoil, and a great many other herbs, plants, and vegetables, which I cannot call to mind, and whose names indeed are altogether unknown to me. Their most common berries are those called blew-berries, tittle-berries, and bramble-berries. Multe-berries, which are common in Norway, do not arrive here to any perfection, on account of the thick fogs that hang upon the islands, when these plants bud. This country affords the most pleasant prospect about the latitude of 60° to 64°, and seems fit to be manured for the produce of all sorts of grain; and there are to this day marks of acres and arable land to be observed. I myself once made a trial of sowing barley in the bay joining to our new colony, which sprung up so fast, that it stood in its full ears towards the latter end of July; but did not come to ripeness, on account of the night frost which nipped it and hindered its growth. But as this grain was brought over from Bergen in Norway, no doubt it wanted a longer summer and more heat to ripen. But I am of opinion, that corn which grows in the more Northern parts of Norway would thrive better in Greenland, inasmuch as those climates agree better together. Turnips and cole are very good here, and of a sweet taste, especially the turnips, which are pretty large.