A FRIEND of mine, who lived some time in Greenland, published (unknown to me) some years ago, a Description of Greenland, under the title of A New Survey of Old Greenland, which, not long after my arrival in those parts, I had sketched, to satisfy some of my friends, according to the knowledge I then had acquired; but having since that time got a fuller light in these matters, partly by my own observations and partly by those of my Son Paul Egede, who has been four years missionary in the North West colony of Greenland, I have found it necessary to perfect and enlarge this little Work in embryo, under the same title that it made its first appearance, with some useful Additions, and with a new contrived Map of the country, that the reader may the better comprehend what he finds in this Sketch.
Though Greenland be a country of a vast extent, yet it affords but a narrow field for any observation or remarks of consequence; there being no strong or well built towns to meet with; no well ordered polity or civil government; no fine arts and sciences, or the like; but only a number of mean, wretched, and ignorant Gentiles, who live and improve the land according to their low capacity.
I must own, that Greenland, in its present state and condition, compared with other countries, is but very mean and poor, though not yet so despicable and wretched but it may, using care and industry, not only richly maintain its own inhabitants, but also communicate to others out of the remainder of its products.
As for the land in itself, it yields little or nothing, not being manured or cultivated, but lies altogether waste and untilled; nevertheless the ancient histories and accounts, yet extant, of the land, make it appear, that it is not unfit for several products; and therefore I do not question but it might retrieve the loss of its former plenty and fruitfulness, should it come to be well settled again, and cultivated. But as to the seas, they yield more plenty and wealth of all sorts of animals and fishes than in most other parts of the world, which may turn to very great profit; witness the exceeding great riches many nations have gathered, and are still gathering, from the whale fishery, and the capture of seals and morses, or sea horses.
Thus it is confessed, that Greenland is a country not unworthy of keeping and improving. And this has been the well grounded opinion of our late monarchs of Denmark, and many of their chief counsellors, who have made so much of Greenland, that they have spared no costs in fitting out several ships for its discovery, of which hereafter farther notice shall be taken. This discovery has been chiefly undertaken to the end, that the Christian religion, which has been unfortunately worn out in these parts of the world, might again be re-established, and the poor inhabitants, viz. the offspring of the old Northern Christians, if through God’s mercy any such may yet be found there, as true subjects to Denmark and Norway, might be assisted and comforted both as to body and soul. And although these most laudable endeavours of those glorious monarchs, of pious and blessed memory, have not had all the success one could desire, yet they have opened the way for fresh attempts of the same nature, which (God be thanked) have not been lost, inasmuch as the Western coast of Greenland (by the Danes called Westerbygd) not only has been fully discovered, but also several new lodges have been there erected, and the holy word of God has been preached, with God’s blessing, to these ignorant Heathens, that dwell in those places where Christianity has been quite extinct and forgot. All this ought to encourage us to continue our endeavours to discover the Eastern shore, where it is confessed the chief colony has been seated; and perhaps the offspring of the old Norwegians and Icelanders may be recovered; which I do not think impossible, provided we go on in the right way, as I hope to show in the following treatise.
How praiseworthy and glorious an enterprize would it be, to undertake so great and wholesome a work, chiefly in regard to these unhappy people, who, by a just judgment of God, now for upwards of three hundred years, have been debarred all communication with Christians; which to remedy not only our civil but Christian duty obliges us. It becomes us therefore heartily to pray God Almighty, that he will be pleased to appease his wrath kindled against these poor wretches, and to disclose to our most gracious sovereign, and to other well intentioned Christians, the best way and means to this country’s discovery and happy restitution. And though we should fail of success, in still meeting with the aforesaid offspring of the old Norwegian and Iceland Christians, who, for aught we know, may be all extinct and destroyed, as we found it on the West coast; yet, for all that, I should not think all our labour lost, nor our costs made to no purpose, as long as it may be for the good and advantage of those ignorant Heathens, that live there; to whom we have reason to hope our most gracious sovereign will also extend his fatherly clemency, and Christian zeal, to provide for their eternal happiness, as he so graciously has done for those on the Western shore; seeing that by these means the old ruined places might anew be provided with colonies and inhabitants, which would prove no small advantage to the king and his dominions. This my well meant project, that God in his mercy will advance and promote, to the honour of his most Holy Name, and the enlightening and saving of these poor souls, is the sincere desire of
HANS EGEDE.
THE
N A T U R A L H I S T O R Y
OF
Greenland.
