The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-10-25
THE MOST NORTHERN WHITE TOWN.
A wretehed Little Place which, however,
Gives Depsrarh Quite Rcvenue.


A wretchea Little Place which. Mswevsr
Gives Denmark Quite . Rcvenuo.
The Kite. with Lieut. Peary's expedition on
board. aftor leaving Godhavn. or Llevely. ne
It Is known to the English whalors. steamed
northward toward Upernavik. where she
arrived ut 8 A. M. on July i. The
coast here is much broken and in.
dented with lords, which run for miles in
land. The high mountain spurs forming their
eldes are cut Of by arms OF the seq. so that
this part Of the Greenland coast Is rather a
great archipelago than an unbroken wall OF
rock. Upcrnavlk, like Godhavn. a built
upon an island. and. owing to dense fog
which hung over the mountains to about 15o
feet OF the sea. Il was very difficult to lnd.
At last few block houses could be made out,
apparently perched on the side OF a steep
brown cliff. and coming rapidly over the
smooth water was o Knyaker. who. when close
to US. wanted to know II we wished pilot. We
did not, as Capt Pike knew Upernnvik only too
WELL having rested here ten days nfter his
hazardous journey In boats across Melville
by after the wreck OF the Proteus. The
Knyaker followed us in his graceful little boat.
now and then throwing his spear ut an imag-
mary seal and then gracefully picking it up
as he shot on. The spear Is cast with throw
ing stick or spear thrower. piece OF wood
pierced ut one end to receive an ivory pin
fastened near the butt OF the spear. This piece
lies fat against the under side Of the spear. act
ing rs lever when tho spear is thrown. to
give tho weapon additional impulse. It be-
comes detached rs the spear is thrown for
ward. and remains in tho thrower's hand
This principle Is known to the Australian M
tives. and is one OF the many instances whore
similar principles arise spontaneously among
totally distinct tribes.
Upernavik may DO said to be the most north
ern civilized settlement on our globe. Thore
are a few miserable native huts collected about
n wooden Danish house a few miles north OF
Upernavik. known as Tessuisak. and marking
the northern limit Of the Danish possessions
OF Greenland. From hero to Cape Yak stretches
the dreaded Melville Bay. across which the no
tives never attempt to pass which forms
an efrectual barrier between the distinct race
OF the savage Arctic Highlander OF the far
north and tho half-civilizcd Greenlnnder Of
Denmark. among whom there is not single
specimen OF pure blood.
As barren rs Godharn would appear to one
used to our forests and verdant fields. 80 did
Upernavik appearto US after the sunny days at
Disco. The steep granite and basalt hills rose
in absolute nakedness from the very edge Of
the water: not even q beach could be found
on which to haul our boat No luxuriant grass
grew about the houses Of the miserable town.
and fewer were the European flowers seen in
the windows Of the Governors residence. Tho
huts Of the natives were miserable In the ex-
treme. In Disco they had the luxuriance Of
glass windows: here. many had nothing but
skin. scraped thin and oiled. to cover the holes
in tho hut walls and allow the entrance Of the
feeble light The SHOWS. melting from the
mountain tops. poured their water through
this little town. where it stood in pools on tho
level or found swnmps in the turf and filth
about the huts
soon as they landed helped by an urchin or
two from tho village who. finding that We
show US where they could be found. At, last
sS% Il sEr sSS
there in q nest we could see tlye little yellow
Over i ridge to the north lay Danish Harbor
lately arrived from homo " with the supplies
observed an oomiaE bottom up and held down
by large stGnes 1t was about twenty fees
a skin much heavier than that used in the
small. pointed boat the kayak. The oomiak
is shaped very much ,.; Ike doIy. with highh
to the single thole pin by Frummet They
are very good sea boats and are generally
ascompanies an o oomiaE to Show ! t the way.
The Eskimo namo for steamer Ia 9omiak-
5Sst Rs
a steamboat the Eskimos have over seen.
Gibson al and M Msas the
Both OF them having been in canoe the model
wEdut s HSe Na2se 81 s Ssr
OF Greenland has u hole so small. in which the
rover sits that to get IN is not unlike pulling
cansze. unless the rover, or paddler is
skilful and is able to right the boat by means
s me- e So
to his feet Tho Eskimos attain a skill in the
use Of the kayak which enables them to turn
and come up on the other.
But little was obtained IN UpeInavik by
al sks The tSe mao
were themselves wretchedly clad. and seemed
terribly poor when compared with those whom
u Leaving cav s'i this Wretched little place. from
which none Of us took good Impression; the
on tor the Io
81 eggs and and BIRDS d'''u la' - . ' - '0''''
IN spite OF the fact that Upernavik appeared
hers that most q tie Polar bear skins are sent
we
Iound in Melville Bay and norrhward. spending
most OF his time out upon the ice. rarely. II
sver coming to the land. His food is mainly
ner. Finding q seal hole. he creeps quietly to
The edge and lies there perfectly quiet. watch
he seal appears he strikes it such n heavy
blow. on the side Of its head that
t is thrown completely out Of the water upon
The ice. whore. il not killed: it is captured by
he bear before it can regain the water. The
Arctic bear. more properly water bear. by
which name 1t is known to tho whalers. differs
rom the other members of his tribe In being
active. resembling In his move
ments more the tiger than the black or brown
bear OF the temperlte forests. They run with
great speed. and in bounding over the ice pin
lacles. or pools, or cracks in the foes, they
he cat family. BENJAMIN SHARP. Pr d.