The Coastings, Courses, Havens and Creeks of Groenland, according as Barentson receiv’d an Account of them from Iver Boty, a Groenlander written in the Norsh Language, as it is call’d, are as followeth: From Stad in Norway, to Hornness, the East part of Groenland, it is seven days Sailing. Between Iseland and Groenland lieth a Riff call’d Gombornse-skare, the Ice lying upon which, hindreth the Passage. Those that Sail from Bergen in Norway South of Rokeness in Iseland, come under Swafster, a Promontory, or high Land in the East part of Groenland, and within sight of the high Mount Whitsark; between which and Groenland lieth a Headland, call’d Hernoldus Hook, not far from Sound-Haven, formerly much frequented by the Norway Merchants. Those that Sail from Iseland to Groenland, Steer to Snoffness, West of Rokeness, and after South-West. East of Hernoldus Hook lieth the Village of Skagenford, the most Easterly Village of the Island; East of Skagenford, the Haven Bearford, inaccessible by Ships, by reason of a great Riff lying at the Mouth thereof. This Place is chiefly remarkable for the Whale-fishing, the Whales upon the going back of the Tide running into a great Swalth, as they call it, which is in the Haven. East of Bearford is the Haven call’d Allabong Sound, full of little Isles. East from the Icy Mountain, the aforemention’d Haven Fendobothes. Farther East is the Highland Corse Hought, where they Hunt white Bears. West from Hernoldus Hook is the Village Codosford, and hard by the Sea-Coast, a fair Church, which we conceive to be the same with Korsekirk above spoken of, as Codosford may also probably be the same with Kindelfiord. A little farther West lieth the Boy, or Town of Wartsdale (for in the Norsh Language Boy signifies a Town,) belonging to Petresuik, or Peterswike Church: Near this Boy or Town standeth a Cloyster, or Abbey of Canons Regular, dedicated to St. Olafe and St. Augustine. Next to Codosford is Rompnesford, the same questionless with the above-mention’d Rumpesinfiord, where there is a Cloyster of Nuns of the Order of St. Benedict: In this Ford lie many small Isles. Between Rompness and the next Sound lieth a great Garden call’d Vose, belonging to the King of the Countrey, as also St. Nicholas Church before mention’d. At the entrance into Emnestnesford is the Inlet Southwoderswike, and somewhat higher on the same side, the little Cape Bloming, beyond the Inlet Granwike; above that, the Garden call’d Daleth, belonging to the Cathedral Church; and on the right-hand to those that Sail out of the said Sound, a great Wood belonging to the same Church, where they feed their Oxen, Kine, and Horses. The Highland lying by Emestnesford, is call’d The Ramas Hayth, from the Rain-Deer which use to be there Hunted: And hereabouts is that sort of Stone of which they make large Fats or Cisterns, as hath been before intimated; it is by some call’d the Zevell-Stone, being a sort of Marble, or (as some will have it) Load-stone, of all colours. West from this lieth another Highland, call’d Long-Highland. The next Sound is call’d Swalterford, having a Church belonging to it of the same Name, and where there is also a Garden belonging to the King, call’d St. Hentelstad. Next to that lieth Erricksford, and at the entrance thereof the Highland Erricks Hought, belonging to Deverskirk, the first Parochial Church in Groenland. North-West from Erricksford, is Megdenford. Farther out is a Church call’d Scogelkirk; and farther in the Sound, Leadenkirk. Beyond Erricksford is another Ford or Sound, by the Name of Fossa, belonging to the Cathedral Church; and to the North of it, two Villages, Ever-boy and Forther-boy. From thence farther North lieth Bredaford; and after that Lormontford; and from thence Westward, Icedeep. To the North of the Westland lieth a spacious Wilderness, call’d Hemel Hatsfelt, and Edg’d with massie Rocks and Cliffs towards the Sea side; beyond which the Sea is innavigable, by reason of the many Swalgen, or Whirlpools thereabouts.
In Groenland there are divers Hills, wherein are Silver-Mines, multitudes of white Bears, with red Patches on their Heads; also white Hawks, and all sorts of Fish. There are moreover in the Countrey divers Rivers, frozen up for the most part of the Year, and cover’d with Ice; yet it is generally affirm’d, that it is not so cold there as in Norway or Iseland. On the Hills are said to grow Acorns and Nuts, very well tasted, and as big as Apples; also as good Wheat as is commonly produc’d in other Parts.
An Account of Groenland from Dithmar Blefkens his Journal.
In the Journal of Dithmar Blefkens’s Voyage, mention is made of a certain blind Monk, brought up in the Monastery of St. Thomas, who reported several memorable things concerning this Countrey, as that it was call’d Groenland antiphrastically, or by contrariety of Speech, as appearing seldom or never green; and that it abounded with Bears and white Foxes, and was not without Pygmies and Unicorns, which never appear’d till after the Sun was entred into Aries; that in the said Monastery of St. Thomas there was a Fountain of scalding Water, which was convey’d through Pipes of Stones to the Monks several Cells, and serv’d them not onely for Stoves, but for the dressing of their Meat, which was as well boyl’d by means of this Water, as if it had been over a real Fire, and that the Walls of the Monastery were made of a kind of Pumice-stone, upon which if Water were pour’d, it would produce a slimy Matter, commonly us’d in stead of Lime for Mortar, like the Stone of Mount Hecla in Iseland; that two of these Pygmies, a Male and a Female, were kept by the Abbot, and were both endu’d with perfect humane Shape, and overgrown with Hair, even to the outermost Joynts of their Fingers, the Male especially, who had a Beard reaching down to his Knees, but that they seem’d wholly devoid of Reason and Understanding, nor had any distinct use of Speech, onely made a semblance of Hissing of the manner of Geese; lastly, he reported the duration of the Lives of these Creatures to be answerable to the shortness of their Stature; but that concerning their Wars with the Cranes, he had no other knowledge than by Tradition.
From Mr. James Hall’s Description.
The Description of Groenland left by Mr. James Hall, renders it a high, mountainous, and craggy Region, sufficiently water’d with Rivers, and provided with good Harbors, of a Soil not unfertile in all places where he came, having between the Mountains fruitful Valleys and pleasant Plains, abounding with several sorts of Fowl, as Partridges, Pheasants, Sea-mews, Gulls, Crows, &c. but of Beasts, chiefly black Foxes, and (as was conjectur’d by the plenty of Harts-horns found about their Tents) Rein-Deer, yet not destitute of other Beasts, the Vestigium of one whereof was found to be not less than eight Inches over.
As for the Manners and Customs of the Natives, they are by the said Description represented to be a kind of Samoid, or wandring People, still moving from place to place, warlike and active, using Slings and Darts with marvellous dexterity, of a brown Complexion for the most part, and of an indifferent Stature, eating their Meat either quite raw, or onely a little parboyl’d, Clothing themselves with the Skins of such Beasts, or other Creatures, as they kill, especially Seals, or some of the largest size of Fowls, which they Dress very smooth and soft, turning the Feather or Hair side outwards in Summer, and inward in Winter. Their Weapons Bowes, Slings, and Bone or Iron-headed Darts; their Religion Idolatrous, but chiefly Sun-Worship, as was gather’d from their manner of Accost, when any of the English first approach’d them, for they us’d to point up to the Sun, as chief Author of their felicity, and then beat their Breasts, crying, Iliont, which seem’d to signifie as much as I mean no harm, and would not come near till those that met them did the like. Their Houses built of Whales Bones, and the Baulks thereof with Whales Ribs, and cover’d with Earth, but the best sort with Seal-Skins, having Vaults or Rooms under Ground, four-square, and two Yards deep in the Earth. Their manner of Burial, a Pile of Stones thrown over the Corps, being first wrapt up in Seal-Skins.
First Discovery of Spilbergia or Greenland.
Spilbergia, so call’d by the Hollanders, from Spilbergen, whom probably they reckon to have been the first Discoverer of it, is the same that we vulgarly call Greenland, and which Sir Hugh Willoughby (if not the first of all, yet at least the first of the English that discover’d any thing of these Parts) nam’d King James’s New-Land. The said Sir Hugh Willoughby set forth Anno 1553. in the Bona Esperanza, accompany’d with two Ships more, viz. the Bonaventure, Richard Challoner Captain, and the Bona Confidentia, and after some time of Coasting up and down those Northern Seas, he Landed with his Company upon the Place, where staying a few days, he sent three Men three days Journey into the Countrey South-West, and three more as far full West, who all, after much hardship in their Travelling, return’d without having met any People by the Way, or seen the least appearance of any Habitation. Sailing hence back for Lapland, they were all frozen to death in the Haven Arzina.
Fotherby’s Description of Greenland.