CHAP. V.
Terra Borealis, or The Artick Region.
Having spoken something of the Terra Australis Incognita, or Unknown South-Land, there remains something to be said of the opposite part, namely, the Terra Borealis, or the Artick Region; which is call’d Incognita in like manner as the Terra Australis, in regard, though very much, as well of the one as of the other, hath been search’d into, and in part discover’d by several Voyagers, yet doubtless there is a very vast Tract of Land, in the Artick Region especially (if it be not rather Sea,) which is altogether unknown, and those parts which have been discover’d, as Groenland, Iseland, Nova Zembla, Spilbergen, Hudson’s Straights and Bay, &c. so imperfectly known, that they may well deserve the Title of Unknown.
The several parts of this Artick Region are, 1. Terra Subpolaris Incognita, or that part which lies directly under the Pole, and is otherwise call’d Orbis Arcticus. 2. Groenland. 3. Spilbergen, or Nieuland. 5. Iseland. 6. Nova Zembla.
A Description of Terra Subpolaris.
The Terra Subpolaris is describ’d by a certain Seaman of Bosleduc, to be a great black Rock, about thirty five Leagues in compass, and of an extraordinary heighth; through the Land adjoyning to which the Sea violently breaking, makes four great and violent Euripi, or Whirlpools, whose Waters driving Northward with so forcible a Stream, that no Ship, though carry’d by never so strong a Gale, is able to stem the Current, are at last swallow’d up in the Earth. It is also reported, that between two of these Euripi, namely that made by the Scythick Ocean, and that on the back side of Groenland, there lieth an Island Northward of Lappia and Biarmia, inhabited by Pygmies. Much more to this purpose is related of the Subpolar Region, but since it is very improbable that any one could come so near as to make any discovery thereof, to say more of this Matter, would be but to insist upon things favoring more of Fables than Reality.
Bounds and Situation of Groenland.
Groenland is that part of Terra Septentrionalis, which winds about from South to East, and decline Northward from Cape Faruel, in the Deucaledonian Sea; however, Groenland hath been generally taken for an Island; yet many late Navigators think it joyns with the Continent of Tartary, and others leave it in doubt whether it be Island or Continent: It is bounded towards the East with the Deucaledonian Ocean; towards the West, with Hudson’s Straights and Bay, which separate it from America; towards the North its Bounds are altogether unknown, and is not without reason suppos’d to be the utmost part of the World towards the North Pole. There are who believe it to be one Continent with America, and that upon this ground, because several who have attempted to pass through the Straight commonly call’d The Straight of Davis, into the East-Indies, affirm, that they found it to be a Gulph; but one Captain John Monk, who was also a great Undertaker in the North-West Passage through this Straight, or Gulf of Davis, alledges great Probabilities of this Lands being divided by Sea from the Continent of America.
The Topography of Groenland from the Danish and Iseland Chronicles.
This Countrey hath anciently been divided into two Regions, East-Groenland and West-Groenland; answerable to which Division Errick, surnam’d The Ruddy, the Son of Torvalde, is reported by the Danish Chronicle to have built two Forts or Lodges, Ostrebug and Westrebug, in the Eastern part. The first Planters of Christianity built the City Garde, which became, as the said Chronicle mentions, a City of great Repute and Traffick, and not long after, the Town Albe, and towards the Sea-Coast, a Monastery, dedicated to St. Thomas. The City Garde was a Bishop’s See, to which belong’d a Cathedral Church, by the Title of St. Nicholas, built in the same City, though a certain Iseland Chronicle makes mention of the Church of Strosnes, as the chief Metropolitan and Bishop’s See of Groenland. The Bishop assisted oftentimes in the Assembly of the Estates of Denmark, and held of the Bishop of Nidrosia or Drunthen in Norway, as the Temporal Estate of Groenland held of the Crown of Norway, the Norwegians being the onely known Planters of this Countrey, deriving their Original from the aforesaid Errick, according to the testimony of Mr. Vormius, and also of Angrimus Jonas, in his Specimen Islandicum, and the Vice-Roy of Norway, the Nomophylax (as the said Angrimus calls him,) or Sovereign Judge of the Countrey. The Inhabitants of Westreburg, or the Western Coast of Groenland, are by some call’d Skreglinguers. According to the Iseland Chronicle, the Towns and Places of chief note are Skageford, in the most Eastern part; a little farther West the Port of Funchebuder, so call’d from a Page of St. Olaus King of Norway, who together with several others were cast away upon that place; a little higher, the Roansen, full of white Bears, and other wild Beasts. In the Western Coast, Kindelfiord, an Arm of the Sea; on the right Shore whereof stands Korsekirk, i. e. a Church built cross-ways; also the Town Vandalebug, and not far off a Monastery, dedicated to St. Olaus and St. Augustine; the next Place is Rumpesinfiord, where there is a religious Convent, and divers little Islands, in which are Springs of Water, warm in the winter, and temperate in the Summer, which are accounted Medicinal and of great Vertue in the curing of divers Maladies; upon the same Coast lies Etsnatsfiord; between which and Rumpesinfiord is the Palace Fos, and a great Church, dedicated to St. Nicholas; near the Promontory Clining is another great House call’d Daller, and beyond Eynatsfiord, a great Island denominated Reynatsen, from the abundance of Rein-Deer which breed there: In the same Island is a Quarry of the Stone Talguestin, not consumable by Fire, and yet soft enough to be cut into any form, insomuch that Vessels have been made of it, containing twelve Tun. More Westerly lies the Island Langen, and another Royal House call’d Hellestad, then Erricksfford, another Arm of the Sea, and at the Entrance thereof, the Island Herrieven, part whereof belongs to the Dome, or Cathedral, and the other part to the Church of Dunes, the principal Church of Groenland, next to the Cathedral. North-West from Erricksfiord is Midfiord, and farther Northward, Bondeford; near which are several little Isles and Ports. Between Ostrebug and Westrebug is a large Desart, altogether uninhabited.
This Description of the Countrey, Extracted from the Iseland Chronicle, is look’d upon by a late French Writer of note, as the most particular and faithful; however, the Danish Chronicle differs in many things, and amongst others in this, that not the hundredth part of Groenland is possess’d by the Norwegians, but that there inhabit several different sorts of People, of different Fashions and Governments, altogether unknown to the Norwegians.