Page:Journal of a Voyage to Greenland, in the Year 1821.djvu/239

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VOYAGE TO GREENLAND.
186

Ice-blink to the north-east of Baal's river, seven hundred and sixty-nine more. At this last point the southern district terminated; and the northern commencing here, extended to latitude 76° 3′ N. It contained the following divisions; Eges-mindes, Christian-haab, Jacob's-haun, Ormenisks, and Upperville; and possessed a population of three thousand persons. The country from Lat. 67° to 69° is inhabited; the natives belonging to this division situated round Disco, or fish bay, have their houses at these colonies for the sake of the whale fishery. The natives of Ormenisks live in the interior during winter for the convenience of catching seals. At Tessarereist, an island in 74° 15′, resides one family who are the most northern inhabitants known. The southern part of Old Greenland, as laid down in the ancient Dutch charts, is intersected by three pervious straits or passages, stretching across the country from the east coast to that of Davis' Straits; these are laid down as follows: the most southerly is at Ice-blink, and this channel is presumed to be the strait in which Frobisher penetrated sixty leagues in 1576, and to which his name was given. At the western entrance of this inlet, is said to be one of the most extraordinary phenomena ever beheld; in an arched bridge formed of ice, extending from land to land, for the space of eight leagues in length and two in breadth. The next passage is represented to be about thirty-two leagues further to the north, at Bar or Bear sound; and the last opens from Ice bay, Disco.