"Oh! 'tis 'merica me speak! De Sout' States, you see? dey go agin de Nort' States, you see? and dere's plenty fight!"
Yes, I did see! but I did not believe that he told the truth, and awaited the letters which I knew must have come out with the Danish vessel, and which were immediately sent for to the Government-House.
It proved that letters had been brought for us by our old friend, Dr. Rudolph, who had returned a few weeks before from Copenhagen, and who kindly brought them aboard himself as soon as he knew of our arrival, and almost before my messenger had reached the shore.
THE REBELLION.
These and some files of papers, and the Doctor's memory, gave us the leading occurrences which had taken place at home up to near the end of March, 1861. We learned of the inauguration of the new President and of the leading events following his election, but of the startling incidents of a later period we were ignorant. We could not apprehend that war had actually broken out. We knew only of the intrigues for a division of the States and of the acts looking to that design. We learned that suspicion on the one hand, and treason on the other, ruled the hour; that threats of violence and irresolute counsels had thrown society into a ferment; and that the national safety was imperiled; but we knew not of the firing on Fort Sumter, nor of the bloody wound which the Nation had received at Bull Run; nor that a vast army for the protection of the Capital and the defense of the Government was then growing up on the banks of the Potomac. We little thought, that in every city, and town, and hamlet, the occupations of peace had already given place to the passionate excitements of war; that a cry of indignation and anger had gone up throughout the land against men who, pledged to protect the national flag and the national name, had abandoned and repudiated them; or, that under the banner of States' rights and under the impulse of ambition, a powerful party had boldly bid defiance to the Federal power and declared their purpose to break the Federal compact. And, even had we heard these things, it would have been difficult for us to have thus suddenly realized that, in a single year, human folly and human madness had so completely got the better of right and reason.
I occupied myself while the schooner lay at Upernavik with visiting a magnificent glacier nine miles wide, which discharges into a fiord named Aukpadlatok, about forty miles from the town. Near this glacier there is a hunting-station of the same name which is superintended by a Dane, called Philip, who lives there in the enjoyment of peace and plenty, with an Esquimau wife and a large family of children, among whom are four full-grown half-breed boys,—the best hunters, I was told, north of Pröven. My surveys detained me several days at Philip's hut, and, before I left, I had made full arrangements with himself and his seal-skin-coated boys and his wife and daughters, to make sledges, for which I gave them abundant materials, and fur-clothing, and skin-lines; and I engaged them to rear and accumulate dogs for me, that I might be well supplied when I came back the next year.
After leaving Upernavik, light and baffling winds kept us at our old trade of dodging the icebergs for four days, at the end of which time we were at anchor in Goodhaven, and I was enjoying, as I was sure to do, the courteous hospitality of my old friend, Inspector Olrik.
This settlement is situated on the south side of Disco Island, and takes its name from the excellence of the harbor, which is completely land-locked. It is the principal colony of North Greenland, and, being the residence of the Viceroy or Royal Inspector, has attached to it an air of importance not belonging to the other stations.
LIBERALITY OF THE DANISH GOVERNMENT.
Mr. Olrik exhibited to me an order from his Government, commanding the Greenland officials to give attention to my requirements, and offering me at the same time as well his official as personal good offices. Being on my way home, I had little occasion to avail myself of this gracious act of the Danish Government; but I informed the Inspector of my future purposes and signified to him my desire to avail myself of its privileges next year. I am glad of an opportunity publicly to express my admiration of the conduct of the Danish Government toward the Arctic expeditions of whatever nationality; and in my own case it was the more personally gratifying, and the more highly appreciated, that I had no "Department" orders wherewith to back up my claims to consideration.