A Description of Greenland by one Mr. Robert Fotherby, represents the Nature of this Place contradictory to its Name, as before was observ’d of Groenland: “For certainly (saith he) no part of the World, yet known and discover’d, is less Green than this, both the Mountains and Low-lands being cover’d with Snow till the beginning of June. The Countrey, which is for the most part mountainous, bearing neither Grass nor Tree, save onely Heath or Ling, as it is call’d in the North parts of England, which grows upon the Moors or Heathy Grounds when the Snow begins to melt, and on which in Summer the Deer feed themselves fat in one Moneth; but how they live in the Winter, is a thing beyond any Man’s skill to comprehend, especially during the Sun’s absence under the Horizon, which in the Latitude of seventy seven Degrees continues from the eighteenth of October to the fourth of February.”
This Countrey is by many suppos’d never to have been inhabited by Men, yet not altogether uncapable of affording Habitation to such as would bring with them sufficient defensive Weapons against Hunger and Cold: For other Animals, it is found, by the testimony of those that have been upon the Place, not to be destitute; for besides Deer before mention’d, there have been seen Bears and Foxes; and of wild Fowl, Cuthbert Ducks, Willocks, Stints, Sea-Pigeons, Sea-Parrots, Gulls, Noddies, &c.
The Southermost part of Greenland, call’d Point Look-out, stands in seventy six Degrees and thirty Minutes. The West side of the Land was discover’d by the first Voyagers Northward as far as eighty Degrees and odd Minutes, and in that compass six or eight good Harbors for the Whale-fishing; the East side as far as seventy eight Degrees, with divers Islands, both great and small, yielding good Harbors, and store of Whales and Sea-Horses.
The Voyages of Jonas Pool and others to Greenland.
In the Year 1610. Jonas Pool, Master of the Amity fell in with this Land in May, and continu’d upon the Coast, discovering of Harbors, and killing of Morses, till June following: and he is said to have been the first that gave this Countrey the Name of Greenland. The next year he set out again, accompany’d with Thomas Edge, Commander of the Mary Margaret; And since many other Voyages have been made as to a Place known, and a great Trade driven in catching of Whales, not without several Contests with the Dutch and Danes, but nothing of late discover’d considerable more than in the first Voyages. The Harbors, Sounds and Coastings most taken notice of, are Fair Foreland, Cape Cold, Black-Point, Horn-Sound, Knotty-Point, Bell-Sound, Lowness, Cross-Road, Deer-Sound, Fowl-Sound, Close-Cove, Gurnet-Nose, Ice-Sound, and Green-Haven.
Cherry-Island.
There are few that have Sail’d to Greenland, but make great mention of Cherry Island, so call’d, as having been first discover’d at the Charges of Sir Francis Cherry, an eminent Merchant; by others Bear-Island, from the multitude of Bears found there; it lies in the Latitude of seventy four Degrees, and is noted for store of Fowl, Foxes like Dogs, and upon the Coasts great store of Whales, Sea-Horses, and Morses: It is also said to be furnish’d with Lead-Mines, and Pits of Sea-Coal.
Situation and first Discovery of Iseland.
Iseland, so call’d from the continual Ice which is upon it, is a craggy mountainous Countrey; and not onely the Hills, but a great part of the Low-land cover’d with perpetual Snow: It is of a Form somewhat oblong, lying between the fifty fourth and fifty ninth Degree of Northern Latitude, having Norway on the East, the Orcades and Scotland on the South, Grenland on the West, and the Hyperborean, or frozen Sea on the North. It is by Olaus Magnus suppos’d to be twice as big as Sicily, that is to say, about a hundred Leagues in length. It is the most known, and most througly discover’d of all the Countreys of the Artick Region, and is said to have been first found out and peopled in the Year of our Lord 900. by certain of the Nobility of East-Frisia in the Countrey of Breme, in the time of Alebrand, Bishop of that Countrey; but whether or no utterly unpeopled till that time, is a Question not easie to be determin’d, though in all probability so obvious a Place to be found out, could not lie so long totally uninhabited. Not long after several Colonies of Norwegians Setled themselves, some in Hitland, some in Ferow, others (following the Example of these Bremers) in Iseland. The Countrey is full of Rocks and Stones, and (as is credibly reported) not a cultivated Field or Garden in the whole Island, and by consequence no sort of Corn, yet the People living without either Bread or Salt, are very strong, and of a good Complexion: Neither is there a Tree to be seen, except the Birch, which likewise grows but in one place, and exceeds not the heighth of a Man, by reason of the violence of the Winds; yet there is said to be great plenty of Butter, the Grass being so fat, that the Oxen are not suffer’d to stay long at a time in the Pastures for fear of bursting. Till of late there was neither Town, nor any thing that could be call’d a Village, in the whole Island, but stragling Cottages here and there, not above three or four together in a place, most by the Sea side for the convenience of Fishing; they were built pretty deep in the Ground, but artificially fram’d of Whales Bones, with Seats, Benches, and other Utensils of the same; now sometimes they use Fir to the same purpose, which is cast upon the Coast by the force of the Sea from Tartary or elsewhere. For want of Vessels, they lay their Butter in Heaps in the Corners of their Houses like Mortar. In the Winter, wanting Fodder, they feed their Cattel with Fish. Besides these Cattel, which are Kine without Horns, Horses onely fit for carrying of Burthens, and very large Sheep, there are store of white Foxes, and huge Bears of the same colour, and a sort of rough Dogs, very well known, and frequent amongst us by the Name of Shocks, which the Islanders esteem not a little, and will part with their Children at a far easier rate: They keep neither Hogs nor Poultrey, for want of Grain to feed them.
Many Rivers in Iseland.