Greenland

Greenland, an island-continent, most of which is within the Arctic Circle. It is separated from North America by Davis Strait and Baffin Bay. Its nearest point is within ten miles of Grinnel Land. There are more than 3,000 miles of coast, intersected, especially on the west, by fiords like those of Norway, overhung by lofty cliffs. Petermann's

Peak, on the east coast, is 11,000 feet in height, and there are several other considerable elevations. Vast ice-fields stretch across the country, rising, about 30 miles inland towards the cast, to a height of 9,000 feet. Though the cold is more extreme in the north, there is less snow than in the south; 68° is the highest recorded temperature, and - 66° Fahr. has been experienced. The weather changes very rapidly from brilliant sunlight to thick fog. The chief animals arc European, and include the wolf, dog, white and blue fox, white bear, walrus, musk ox, reindeer, Arctic hare, and several species of whales and seals. There are sixty-three kinds of birds, of which nil but the raven, ptarmigan, owl, hawk, and some sea-birds are migratory. Eider-clucks are shot in great numbers, and large quantities of their eggs are taken. The inhabitants live largely upon the halibut and other fish; and some 200,000 cod arc ciwght annually on the banks. Only in the south are there any trees. The trade of Greenland, except in the north and north-east, is a Danish monopoly, managed by two inspectors, responsible to the head of a board in Copenhagen. Danish ships arrive and carry away blubber between May and November. In the winter seals are killed. The inspectors evre also magistrates, but there is very little crime. They are advised by local councils, but have absolute power.

Greenland was first visited about 986 by Eirikr the Hod. an exile from Iceland, which is only about. 100 miles distant. He settled where is now the Eskimo station, Igaliko. Bjarin, who followed, probably found the coast of America. Christianity was introduced in the 12th century; and in 1261 the (Iroenlanilers swore allegiance to Hakon, King of Norway. From this time they began to be attacked by the Eskimo from the north, and after a time became extinct as a race. When Davis came from England in 1580 he found no inhabitants but the Eskimos. In 1721 Hans Egide, the missionary, came from Denmark, and from that rear dates the civilisation of the Eskimos. In 1774 the Danish Government took over the trade, which was being abandoned. The country has been explored in recent times by Inglotield. Kane. Hayes, Hall. Nares (1875-61. ami Nansen: in 1869-70 a German expedition visited the east coast, and Mourier led a, party there in 1879. Lieut, Peary, of the U.S. navy, in 1891-92 explored to the northernmost point. The aborigines of Greenland, are a branch of the Eskimo race, who call themselves Kalalit. "men." [Eskimo.] They are the Sl.rulinger (" dwarfs") of the early Norse settlers, and this term is even still occasionally applied to them, though it has lo>t its original sinister meaning. The Kalulits are scattered in small groups "along the west coast, far beyond the Banish colonies, traces of their camping grounds having been met by Captain Xare>' expedition (1875-76) as far north as 82° N. lat. Even on the much colder east side they range up to 75° N.: but here they are for less numerous: and all the full blood and half-caste Eskimo of Greenland scarcely exceed 12,000 sonls altogether. The nomad groups we still pagans, but those settled about the Danish stations have been evangelised by Danish and Moravian missionaries since the eighteenth century. They are a gentle, peaceful race, but improvident, and of incurably filthy habits, though the offensive odour observed by all travellers is mainly due to their whale, seal and train-oil diet. Physically they differ from the western Eskimo, specially in the shape of the skull, which is highly dolichocephalic, more so than that of any other race except the Melanesians of Fiji and the New Hebrides. Their Eskimo dialect, which possesses translations of the Bible and other religious books, beside some national legends and folk-lore, is still universally spoken. though many understand Danish. (Nansen, Rink, Le Gnrnland, Copenhagen, 1852-57, and numerous other writings.)