superstitions are relics of the past. Christianity, although in a low form, is the nominal religion of Greenland, and even the "angerkoks" profess to be converted. I saw the last of this race- -an ill-looking man-who gave in his adherence to Christianity some time ago. At each settlement there is now a pastor, and also a schoolmaster, who is employed by Government to give the young Eskimos the rudiments of a good general education. I have frequently been surprised at the amount of information possessed by these children, some of whose pertinent answers to questions proposed might have put to the blush many of our own "national" scholars. They are also taught to sing when young; but as they pass beyond the control of the master before the complete formation of the voice, it is rare to meet with a bass or tenor singer. Occasionally a more cultivated person is met. I remember being introduced to an Eskimo young lady at Godhavn, Sophie, who sang very sweetly, played the flute, violin, and concertina; and, besides speaking Danish fluently, had a tolerable acquaintance with English. Of course, this was a very exceptional case. Every Sunday and holiday, the little churches at the different settlements are filled with an Eskimo congregation, and a sermon is preached, alternately in Danish and Eskimo. The effect of this is, that in Danish Greenland, I believe, there is not one heathen remaining. In Smith Sound, and on the western shores of Baffin's Bay or Davis Strait, the Eskimos are yet in the darkness of heathenism, and there are many "angerkoks," who believe all the superstitions I have mentioned; but in Danish Greenland all these are abandoned, except a few customs which are followed more from habit than belief, and are not more absurd than many which obtain in any country district in Great Britain or Ireland. From incidental reference to the social life of the Greenlanders, some idea will have been already gained of its nature. Filthy in his person and habits, and regardless of the amenities of civilised life, yet the Eskimo is not a savage, being possessed of a certain negative amiability of nature which would prevent his being placed in that category. On the whole, he behaves well in his social relations,-is a moderately affectionate son, husband, and father. By the by, I did see one case where the husband, holding the wife by her top-knot, administered several sound cuffs; but I do not doubt that he had strong provocation. This was the only use to which I have seen the top-knot applied. The occupation of the Eskimos, though substantially the same throughout Greenland, differs somewhat according to the latitude. In South Greenland, it is sealhunting and cod-fishing. Seated in his kajak, with his spear alongside, his coil of line in front, his sealskin buoy behind, two bird-spears on the upper part of the canoe, and his rifle inside, the hunter takes his departure, putting on a white calico jumper over his sealskin if he be likely to meet with ice. Paddle in hand, and gliding through the water at the rate of six miles per hour, he soon sees a seal's head above the surface. Cautiously getting his spear ready, as he rests on his paddle, and clearing his line, he quietly follows in the track of the animal, whose keenness of hearing obliges him to be as noiseless as possible. Arrived within proper distance, he launches the spear, which striking the seal, leaves the harpoon-head sticking, and away go line, buoy, and prey. The buoy prevents the seal from sinking too low, or swimming to any distance. If the wound be not fatal, the animal quickly rises to the surface to breathe, and, the spot being indicated by the buoy, the ready hunter, adroitly darting another spear, ultimately succeeds in his object. It is then hauled on the top of the kajak, or fastened alongside. The hunter is often content with killing one; but should he meet with any piece of floating ice, knowing the propensity of the seal to bask and rest on these, he paddles up to them. The white jumper now stands him in good stead. The animal, aroused by the plashing of the paddle, rises on its hind flippers, gazes with its large, lustrous eyes at the kajak; seeing the white surface, mistakes it for a piece of ice, and resumes its former position. The hunter now balances himself as well as possible, and, taking a good aim, fires, often killing the seal, but occasionally inflicting mere flesh wounds, or even missing his aim. In the first case only he obtains the object of his pursuit. In Middle Greenland, the Eskimos add the pursuit of the deer, in the spring and autumn, to the two descriptions of hunting mentioned above. The hunters resort to the passes and valleys frequented by the deer; then lying in wait for the herd, they single out their game, and either get it at once, or, wounding it, stalk as is done in Scotland. The numbers which are daily destroyed in this manner, during the season, are so great, that the natives often do not encumber themselves with anything but the skin and the tongue, the latter being considered a delicacy; they leave the bodies to go to waste. At times, however, the deer are very scarce. In North Greenland, besides seal-hunting and deerstalking the Eskimos are occasionally engaged in the chase of the walrus and the narwhal, (or sea-unicorn ;) but as the danger is great, the natives are loath to attack either single-handed. In one of the settlements I met a man whose brother, having harpooned a walrus, was at once turned upon by the infuriated beast, who, in the sight of my informant, struck him in the back with his tusks, and killed him at one blow. This same man had another brother drowned in his kajak, after having harpooned a walrus. The line not being clear, the animal, in sinking, dragged the canoe under water. Sometimes a gale off the land springs up whilst the hunter is out at sea. His only chance then is to make for the nearest ice, and hauling his canoe upon it, to drift with it till the gale be over. This ice has at times, though rarely, drifted more than half way across Davis Strait. In case of such accident befalling the hunter, he subsists by seal-hunting till he reach the western shore, that being the land towards which he then steers his One instance I have myself met, and it may not be a singular one, in which an Eskimo was lost sight of for four to five years, his family believing him dead. At last, however, he was brought home by a whaling ship from England, whither he had been taken, after being picked up on the western shore of Davis Strait, where one of these gales had drifted him. course. The perils of such a life can hardly be appreciated, |