Chapter I: Of the Situation and Extent of Greenland (3)

It is undoubted, that the modern inhabitants of Greenland are the offspring of the Schrellings, especially those that live on the Western coast; and there may be some mixture, for aught we know, of the ancient Norway colonies that formerly dwelled in the country, who in length of time were blended and naturalized among the natives, which is made probable by several Norway words found in their language. For, although the Norway colonies were destroyed, yet there were, no doubt, some remains of them, which joined with the natives and became all one nation. With these inhabitants all the sea coasts are peopled, some more and some less.

The coast is pretty populous in the Southern parts, and on the North in 68° and 69°; though, compared to other countries, it is in the main but thinly inhabited. In the inner parts of the country nobody lives, except at certain times in the summer season, when they go rein deer hunting. The reason of this is, that (as has been said above) the whole upland country is perpetually covered with ice and snow.

As to their houses or dwelling places, they have one for the winter season and another for the summer. Their winter habitation is a low hut built with stone and turf, two or three yards high, with a flat roof. In this hut the windows are on one side, made of the bowels of seals dressed and sewed together, or of the maws of halibut, and are white and transparent. On the other side their beds are placed, which consist in shelves or benches made up of deal boards raised half a yard from the ground; their bedding is made of seal and rein deer skins.

Several families live together in one of these houses or huts; each family occupying a room by itself, separated from the rest by a wooden post, by which also the roof is supported; before which there is a hearth or fireplace, in which is placed a great lamp in the form of a half moon seated on a trevet; over this are hung their kettles of brass, copper, or marble, in which they boil their victuals: under the roof, just above the lamp, they have a sort of rack or shelf, to put their wet clothes upon to dry. The fore door or entry of the house is very low, so that they must stoop, and most creep in upon all fours, to get in at it; which is so contrived to keep the cold air out as much as possible. The inside of the houses is covered or lined with old skins, which before have served for the covering of their boats. Some of these houses are so large, that they can harbour seven or eight families.

Upon the benches or shelves, where their beds are placed, is the ordinary seat of the women, attending their work of sewing and making up the clothing. The men with their sons occupy the foremost parts of the benches, turning their back to the women: on the opposite side, under the windows, the men belonging to the family, or strangers, take their seats upon the benches there placed.

I cannot forbear taking notice, that though in one of these houses there be ten or twenty train lamps, one does not perceive the steam or smoke thereof to fill these small cottages: the reason, I imagine, is, the care they take in trimming those lamps, _viz._ they take dry moss, rubbed very small, which they lay on one side of the lamp, which, being lighted, burns softly and does not cause any smoke, if they do not lay it on too thick, or in lumps. This fire gives such a heat, that it not only serves to boil their victuals, but also heats the room to that degree, that it is as hot as a bagnio. But for those who are not used to this way of firing, the smell is very disagreeable, as well by the number of burning lamps, all fed with train oil, as on account of divers sorts of raw meat, fishes, and fat, which they heap up in their habitations; but especially their urine tubs smell most insufferably, and strike one, that is not accustomed to it, to the very heart.

These winter habitations they begin to dwell in immediately after Michaelmas, and leave them again at the approach of the spring, which commonly is at the latter end of March; and then for the summer season lodge in tents, which are their summer habitations. These tents are made of rafts or long poles, set in a circular form, bending at the top, and resembling a sugar loaf, and covered with a double cover, of which the innermost is of seal or rein deer skins with the hairy side inward (if they be rich), and the outermost also of the same sort of skins, without hair, dressed with fat, that the rain may not pierce them. In these tents they have their beds, and lamps to dress their meat with; also a curtain made of the guts or bowels of seals sewed together, through which they receive the day light instead of windows. Every master of a family has got such a tent, and a great woman’s boat, to transport their tents and luggage from place to place, where their business calls them.

CHAP. IX.

_The Greenlanders’ Persons, Complexion, and Temperament._

The Greenlanders, as well man as womankind, are well shaped and proportioned, rather short than tall, and strong built, inclined to be fat and corpulent; their faces broad, thick lips, and flat nosed; their hair and eyes black, their complexion a very dark tawny; though I have seen some pretty fair. Their bodies are of a vigorous constitution. There are seldom found any sick or lame, and but few distempers are known among them, besides weakness of the eye-sight, which is caused by the sharp and piercing spring winds, as well as the snow and ice, that hurt the sight.

I have met with some that seemed infected with a kind of leprosy; yet (what is surprising to me), though they converse with others, and lay with them in one bed, it is not catching. They that dwell in the most Northern parts are often miserably plagued with dysenteries or bloody fluxes, breast diseases, boils, and epilepsy, or falling sickness, &c. There were no epidemical or contagious diseases known among them, as plague, small-pox, and such like, till the year 1734, when one of the natives, who with several others were brought over to Denmark, and together with his companions had the small-pox at Copenhagen, coming home again to his native country brought the infection amongst them; of which there were swept away in and about the colony about two thousand persons. For as the natives as well as the animals of this climate are of a hot nature, they cannot bear the outward heat, much less the inward, caused by this burning distemper, which inflames the mass of blood to that degree, that it cannot, by any means, be quenched. They are very full of blood, which is observed by their frequent bleeding at the nose.

Few of them exceed the age of fifty or sixty years; many die in the prime of their life, and most part in their tender infancy; which is not to be wondered at, considering they are quite destitute of all sorts of medicines, and ignorant of all that may strengthen and comfort sick bodies. To supply which defects, they know of nothing better than to send for their divines, which they name _angekuts_, who mutter certain spells over the sick, by which they hope to recover.

For outward hurts, as wounds, cuts of knives, and the like, they sew or stitch them together. If any grow blind, as it often happens to them, the eye being covered over with a white skin, they make a small hook with a needle, which they fasten into this skin, to loosen it from the eye, and then with a knife they pull it off. When children are plagued with worms, the mother puts her tongue (_salva vericâ_) into the _anus_ of the children, to kill them. Burnt moss with train oil mixed together serves for plaisters to fresh wounds; or they cover them with a piece of the innermost rind of a tree, and it will heal of itself.

The Greenlanders are commonly of a phlegmatic temper, which is the cause of a cold nature and stupidity: they seldom fly into a passion, or are much affected or taken with any thing, but of an insensible, indolent mind. Yet I am of opinion, that what contributes most to this coldness and stupidity is want of education and proper means to cultivate their minds. In which opinion I am confirmed by the experience of some who had for some time conversed with us, especially the young ones, who easily have taken all that they have seen or heard among us, whether it was good or bad. I have found some of them witty enough, and of good capacity.

CHAP. X.

_The Customs, Virtues, and Vices, and the Manners or Way of Life of the Greenlanders._

Though the Greenlanders are as yet subject to no government, nor know of any magistrates, or laws, or any sort of discipline; yet they are so far from being lawless or disorderly, that they are a law to themselves; their even temper and good nature making them observe a regular and orderly behaviour towards one another. One cannot enough admire how peaceably, lovingly, and united they live together; hatred and envy, strifes and jars are never heard of among them[31]. And although it may happen that one bears a grudge to another, yet it never breaks out into any scolding or fighting; neither have they any words to express such passions, or any injurious and provoking terms of quarrelling. It has happened once or twice, that a very wicked and malicious fellow, out of a secret grudge, has killed another; which none of the neighbours have taken notice of, but all let it pass with a surprising indolence; save the next kindred to the dead, if he finds himself strong enough, revenges his relation’s death upon the murderer. They know of no other punishment; but those old women called witches, and such as pretend to kill or hurt by their conjuring; to such they show great rigour, making nothing of killing and destroying them without mercy. And they pretend that it is very well done; those people not deserving to live, who by secret arts can hurt and make away with others.

They have as great an abhorrence of stealing or thieving among themselves, as any nation upon Earth; wherefore they keep nothing shut up under lock and key, but leave every thing unlocked that every body can come at it, without fear of losing it.

This vice is so much detested by them, that if a maiden should steal any thing, she would thereby forfeit a good match. Yet if they can lay hands upon any thing belonging to us foreigners, they make no great scruple of conscience about it. But, as we now have lived some time in the country amongst them, and are looked upon as true inhabitants of the land, they at last have forbore to molest us any more that way.

As to the transgression of the seventh commandment, we never have found them guilty in that point, either in words or deeds, except what passes amongst the married people in their public diversions, as we shall see hereafter.

As for what we call civility and compliments, they do not much trouble themselves about them; they go and come, meet and pass one another, without making use of any greeting or salutation: yet they are far from being unmannerly or uncivil in their conversation; for they make a difference among persons, and give more honour to one than to another, according to their merit and deserts. They never enter any house where they are strangers, unless they are invited, and when they come in, the master of the house, to whom they pay the visit, shows them the place where they are to take their seat.

As soon as a visitor enters the house, he is desired forthwith to strip naked, and to sit down in this guise like all the rest; for this is the grand fashion with them to dry the clothes of their guest. When victuals are put before him, he takes care not to begin eating immediately, for fear of being looked upon as starved, or of passing for a glutton. He must stay till all the family is gone to bed before he can lie down, for to them it seems unbecoming that the guest goes to rest before the landlord. Whenever a stranger comes into a house, he never asks for victuals, though never so hungry; nor is there any need he should; for they generally exercise great hospitality, and are very free with what they have; and what is highly to be admired and praiseworthy, they have most things in common; and if there be any among them (as it will happen) who cannot work or get his livelihood, they do not let him starve, but admit him freely to their table, in which they confound us Christians, who suffer so many poor and distressed mortals to perish for want of victuals.

Finally, the Greenlanders, as to their manners and common way of life, are very slovenly, nasty, and filthy; they seldom wash themselves[32], will eat out of plates and bowls after their dogs, without cleansing them; and (what is most nauseous to behold), eat lice and such like vermin, which they find upon themselves or others. Thus they make good the old proverb, what drips from the nose falls into the mouth, that nothing may be lost. They will scrape the sweat from off their faces with a knife, and lick it up. They do not blush to sit down and ease themselves in the presence of others. Every family has a urine tub placed before the entry, in which they make water, and leave it so standing till it smells most insufferably, for they put in it the skins, which are to be dressed, to soak or steep, which affords not the most agreeable scent; to the encreasing of which the rotten pieces of flesh meat and fat thrown under their benches contributes a great deal; so that delicate noses do not find their account among them. Yet through long custom the most nauseous things become more supportable.

Notwithstanding, however, their nasty and most beastly way of living, they are very good natured and friendly in conversation. They can be merry and bear a joke, provided it be within due bounds. Never any of them has offered in the least manner to hurt or to do harm to any of our people, unless provoked to it. They fear and respect us as a nation far superior to theirs in valour and strength.

CHAP. XI.

_Of their Habits, and Way of Dressing._

Their clothes are, for the most part, made of rein deer and seal skin, as also of bird’s skin nicely dressed and prepared. The men’s habits are a coat or jacket, with a cap or hood sewed to it, to cover the head and shoulders, in the fashion of a domino, or monk’s hood. This coat reaches down to the knees. Their breeches are very small, not coming above their loins, that they may not hinder them in getting into their small boats. And as they wear no linen, the hair of the skins the coat is made of is turned inward to keep them warm. Over this coat they put on a large frock, made of seal skin dressed and tanned, without hair, in order to keep the water out; and thus they are dressed when they go to sea.

Between the leathern frock and the under coat they wear a linen shirt, or, for want of linen, made of seal’s guts; which also helps to keep out the water from the under coat. Of late they appear sometimes in more gaudy dresses, as shirts made of striped linen, and coats and breeches of red and blue stuffs, or cloth, which they buy of ours, or the Dutch merchants, but fashioned after their own way; in these they make parade and feast, when they keep holidays on shore. The stockings they wore formerly were made of rein deer, or seal’s skin, but now they like better our sort of worsted stockings, of different colours, white, blue, and red, which they buy of us. Their shoes and boots are made of seal’s skins, red or yellow, well dressed and tanned; they are nicely wrought, with folds behind and before, without heels, and fit well upon the foot[33].

The only difference between the dress of the men and the women is, that the women’s coats are higher on the shoulders and wider than the men’s, with higher and larger hoods. The married women, that have got children, wear much larger coats than the rest, most like gowns, because they must carry their children in them upon their backs, having got no other cradle or swadling clothes for them. They wear drawers, which reach to the middle of the thigh, and over them breeches: the drawers they always keep on, and sleep in them. Their breeches come down to the knee: these they do not wear in the summer, nor in the winter, but when they go abroad; and as soon as they come home they pull them off again. Next to their body they wear a waistcoat made of young fawns’ skins, with the hairy side inward. The coat, or upper garment, is also made of fine coloured swans’ skins (or, in defect of that, of seal skins) trimmed and edged with white, and nicely wrought in the seams, and about the brim, which looks very well. Their shoes and boots, with little difference, are like those of the men. Their hair, which is very long and thick, is braided and tied up in a knot, which becomes them well. They commonly go bare-headed, as well without as within doors; nor are they covered with hoods, but in case it rains or snows. Their chief ornament and finery is to wear glass beads of divers colours, or corals about the neck and arms, and pendants in their ears. They also wear bracelets, made of black skin, set with pearls, with which they also trim their clothes and shoes.

The Greenland sex have, besides this, another sort of embellishment, viz. they make long black strokes between the eyes on the forehead, upon the chin, arms, and hands, and even upon the thighs and legs: these they make with a needle and thread made black. And though this to others seems a wrong way of embellishing, yet they think it very handsome and ornamental. And they say that those who do not thus deform their faces, their heads shall be turned into train tubs, which are placed under the lamps in Heaven, or the land of souls.

They keep their clothes pretty clean, though in other things, especially in their victuals, they are not so nice, chiefly the women, who have got children, are very dirty and slovenly, well knowing, that they cannot be repudiated, or sent a packing. But those wretches that are barren, or whose children are dead, and do not know the moment they may be sent away, are obliged to take more care of their cleanness and property, that they may please their husbands.

CHAP. XII.

_Of their Diet, and manner of dressing their Victuals._

The Greenlanders’ provision and victuals are flesh and fish meat (for the country affords no other kind of provision) as rein deer, whales, seals, hares, and rypes, or white partridges, and all sorts of sea fowls. They eat their flesh meat sometimes raw, sometimes boiled, or dried in the sun or wind; but their fish meat is always thoroughly done, or they eat it dried in the sun or air, as salmon, roe-fish, halibut, or the small stints, which, in the months of May and June, they catch in great abundance, and keep them cured and dried for winter provisions. And whereas, in the winter season, it is very rare to get seals, except in the most Northern parts where they take them upon the ice; so they make all the provision of them they can get in the fall, and bury them under the snow, until the winter comes on, when they dig them up, and eat them raw and frozen as they are. Their drink is nothing but water, and not, as some writers have wrongly pretended, train oil; for they do not so much as eat the fat, but only in sauces to their dried fish.

Furthermore, they put great lumps of ice and snow into the water they drink, to make it the cooler to quench their thirst. They are, taking them in general, very hoggish and dirty in their eating and dressing of their victuals; they never wash, cleanse, or scour the kettles, pots, or dishes, in which they dress, and out of which they eat their victuals; which when dressed, they often lay down upon the dirty ground, which they walk upon, instead of tables. They will, with so great an appetite and greediness, feed upon the rotten and stinking seal flesh, that it turns the stomach of any hungry man who looks upon them. They have no set time for their meals, every man eats when he is hungry, except when they go to sea, and then their chief repast is a supper, after they are come home in the evening; and he, whose supper is first ready, calls his neighbours to come and partake of it, as he does again with them reciprocally; and so it goes round from one to another.

The women do not eat in company with the men, but separately by themselves; and in the absence of their husbands, when gone a fishing, they being left to themselves, invite one another, and make grand cheer. And as they eat heartily, when they can come at it, so they can as well endure hunger, when scarcity of provision requires it. It has been observed, that in great scarcity, they can live upon pieces of old skins, upon reets, or sea weeds, and other such trash. But the reason why they can endure hunger better than we foreigners, I take to be, their bodies being so squat and corpulent, their fat yielding them matter of nourishment within themselves, for a while, till it be consumed.

Besides the fore-mentioned provisions, they also eat a sort of reddish sea weed, and a kind of root, which they call tugloronet, both dressed with fat or train oil; the dung of the rein deer, taken out of the guts, when they cleanse them; the entrails of partridges, and the like out-cast, pass for dainties with them. They make likewise pancakes of what they scrape off the inside of seal skins, when they dress them. In the summer they boil their meat with wood, which they gather in the field, and in winter time over their lamps in little kettles of an oval figure, made of brass, copper, or marble, which they make themselves.

To kindle the fire, when extinguished, they make use of this expedient, which shows their ingenuity: they take a short block of dry fir tree, upon which they rub another piece of hard wood, till, by the continued motion, the fir catches fire. When we first came among them, they did not like to taste any of our victuals, but now they are glad to get some of it, especially bread and butter, which they like mightily, but they do not much care for our liquors; yet notwithstanding, some of them, who have lived some time among us, have learnt to drink wine and brandy, and never refuse it, when it is offered them. But as for tobacco, they do not at all like it, nor can they bear the smell or smoke of it.

CHAP. XIII.

_Of their Marriages, and Education of their Children._

The most detestable crime of polygamy, which reigns so much among the Heathens, the Greenlanders are not so much addicted to; for commonly they are contented with one wife. There are some, but very few, that keep two, three, or four wives: but these pass for heroes or more than ordinary men, in that, by their industry, they are able to subsist so many wives and children. And what is remarkable, before our arrival, there was never heard of such a thing as jealousy among those wives, but they agreed very well together, though the first wife was reckoned the mistress. Since our arrival, as we have informed them of the word and will of God, importing, that in the beginning the All-wise Creator made one man and one woman, to live in matrimony as husband and wife, there has been some resentment in the wives, when their husbands have had a mind to take any other besides them; they have addressed themselves to me, and desired me to put a stop to such a proceeding. Also when I have instructed them in their catechism and the Christian doctrine, they have always put me in mind, not to forget fully to instruct their husbands in the duties of the seventh commandment.

Some time passed before we could learn how the men behaved themselves with regard to other men’s wives, or the women _vice versa_, till at last we perceived them not to be over scrupulous in this matter, of which we were more fully convinced, by hearing of a certain illegal game used among them; which is this. A number of married men and women meet together at an assembly; where, after they have taken their fill of feasting and revelling, they begin singing and dancing, according to their own way; and in the mean while one after another take a trip with each other’s wife, behind a curtain or hangings made of skins at one end of the house, where their beds are placed, and there divert themselves. Those are reputed the best and noblest tempered, who, without any pain or reluctancy, will lend their friends their wives.

But, as I observed above, none but married people frequent these sort of games, which, they imagine, is not unbecoming. Especially the women think themselves happy, if an angekkok, or prophet, will honour them with his caresses: there are even some men so generous, that they will pay the angekkok for it; chiefly if they themselves have no children; for they fancy that an angekkok’s child will be more happy and better qualified for business than others.

Maidens, on the contrary, and unmarried women, observe much better the rules of modesty and continency; for I never saw any of them entertain any loose or slippery conversation with young men; or show the least inclination to it either in words or deeds. During fifteen full years that I lived in Greenland, I did not hear of more than two or three young unmarried women, who had been guilty of incontinence; because it is reckoned the greatest of infamies. It is remarkable, that natural decency is observed by them; for they refrain from marrying their next relations, even in the third degree, taking such matches to be unwarrantable and quite unnatural. It is likewise reckoned uncouth and blameable, if a lad and a girl, that have served and been educated in one family, should desire to be married together; for they look upon them as brother and sister.

The ceremonies they use in their marriages and weddings are as follow:--When a young man likes a maiden, he commonly proposes it to their parents and relations on both sides; and after he has obtained their consent, he gets two or more old women to fetch the bride (and if he is a stout fellow, he will fetch her himself). They go to the place where the young woman is, and carry her away by force; for though she ever so much approves of the match, yet out of modesty she must make as if it went against the grain, and as if she was much ruffled at it; else she will be blamed and get an ill name, as if she had been a love-sick wench. After she is brought to the house of the bridegroom, she keeps for some time at a distance, and sits retired in some corner, upon the bench, with her hair dishevelled, and covering her face, being bashful and ashamed. In the mean while the bridegroom uses all the rhetorick he is master of, and spares no caresses to bring her to a compliance with his ardent wishes; and the good girl being at length persuaded and prevailed with, yields kindly to his ravishing embraces; and then they lie down together, and so the wedding is over. But sometimes they take a shorter way to go to work, which is to gratify their inclinations without the advice or consent of the parents[34]. Nevertheless their matrimony is not of so indissoluble a nature but that the husbands often repudiate and put away their wives, if either they do not suit their humours, or else, if they are barren and do not bring forth children (which they hold to be very ignominious), and marry others. But if they have children by them, they bear a great deal with them, and keep them for life. It is not rare to see that a man beats his wife, and gives her black eyes, for her obstinacy and stubbornness sake; however they are soon reconciled and good friends again, without bearing any grudge. For, according to them, it signifies nothing, that a man beats his wife; but they do not like that a master should drub a servant maid. Likewise they think it heinous that a mother chastises her children; and if she falls foul of her maid, it is with them unpardonable; and such a woman gets an ill name.

If one of the party dies, the relict, whether husband or wife, is at liberty to marry again.

The women are of a very hardy and strong nature, which they chiefly show in their child-bearing; for as soon as it is over, they will go to work and do their ordinary business as usual. But sometimes they pay very dear for this bravery, it costing them their lives. The day after their delivery they go abroad to work, being girt with a waist belt two or three inches broad, which they also wore before their delivery. As soon as the child is born, the mother dips her finger into water, and rubs the child’s lips with it; or she puts a little bit of snow into its mouth, saying, “Imekautit,” which signifies, Thou hast drunk a good deal; and when she eats, she takes a bit of fish, and holds it to the child’s mouth, and shakes her hand, with this word, “Aiparpotit,” that is to say, Thou hast eat and kept me company. They cut the navel-string, not with a knife, but with a muscle shell, or they bite it off with their teeth; and when the string is dry they use it as an amulet.

They hold a chamber pot over the head of the woman in labour, imagining that it helps to hasten her delivery. The child being a year old, the mother slabbers and licks it all over, from head to foot, that it may grow hale and strong. They seldom bear twins, but monsters are often brought forth. In the year 1737 a woman, in the Bay of Disco, was delivered of a hideous monster; the eyes were placed on the side of the nose: it had a pointed snout and no ears. Instead of hands and feet it had paws, and very thick thighs. Its front was covered with hair like those of a rein deer, and the sides were covered with something like a white skin of a fish. In the same place another monstrous birth was seen in the year 1739, without a head, four-footed, with long nails, like claws; it had a mouth upon the breast, and claws upon the back.

They have a very tender love for their children, and the mother always carries her infant child about with her upon her back, wrapped up in her coat wherever she goes, or whatever business she has in hand, for they have no other cradles for them. They suckle them till they are three or four years old or more; because in their tender infancy they cannot digest the strong victuals that the rest must live upon.

The education of their children is what they seem little concerned about; for they never make use of whipping or hard words to correct them, when they do any thing amiss, but leave them to their own discretion. Notwithstanding which, when they are grown, they never seem inclined to vice or roguery, which is to be admired. It is true, they show no great respect to their parents in their outward forms, but always are very willing to do what they order them; though sometimes they will bid their parents do it themselves. They are under the care of their parents, boys as well as girls, till they are married; afterwards they shift for themselves, yet so, that they continue to dwell in the same house, or under the same roof with their fathers, together with other kindred and relations; and what they get, they all enjoy in common.

CHAP. XIV.

_How the Greenlanders mourn and bury their dead Friends._

When any person dies, they take what belongs to him, as house-furniture, utensils, and clothing, and throw it all out into the field, that by touching of them they may not become unclean, or any misfortune befal them on that account: and all that live in the same house are obliged to carry out any thing of their goods that is new and has not been used; but in the evening they bring them all back again, for then they say the stench of the dead body is quite dissipated. Then they begin to lament and mourn for their dead friend, with tears and ghastly howlings, which they continue for an hour, and then the nearest relations take the body and carry it to the grave, made up of stones thrown together in a heap, under which they bury him dressed in his best clothes, and well wrapt up in skins of rein deer or seals, with his legs bent under his back. Near the burying place they lay his utensils, _viz._ his boat, bows, arrows, and the like; and if it be a woman, her needles, thimbles, and the like; not that they believe they stand in need of those things, when they are come to the land of souls, or in the other world, whither they are retired, but for the aversion they have for those things: lest by refreshing the memory of the deceased, they might renew their grief and sorrow for his loss; for if they should bewail him and weep too much, they think he will endure the more cold where he is.

They think themselves unclean if they touch any thing belonging to the deceased; as likewise he that has carried him to the grave, and buried him, is reckoned unclean for some time, and dares not do certain things: nay, not only the kindred and relations of the deceased, but likewise every one that has lived in the same house with him, are obliged to abstain from certain victuals and work, for a while, according to the direction of the _angekkuts_ or divines.

The women never wash themselves during their mourning time, nor appear well dressed, or with braided and tied up hair, but dishevelled, and hanging about the face. They must put on their hood as often as they go out of doors, which is not customary at other times: but they believe they otherwise should soon die.

They bewail their dead long enough: for, as often as any of their friends and acquaintance come from other places to see them, the first thing they do is to sit down in great sadness, and weep and bemoan the loss of their deceased friend: after which they are comforted with good cheer. But if the deceased has left no friend or relation behind him, he may lie long enough where he died, whether at home or abroad before any body comes and buries him. If a person dies in the house, his body must not be carried through the ordinary entry of it, but conveyed out at the window; and if he dies in a tent, he is brought out at the back part of it. At the funeral a woman lights a stick in the fire, brandishing the same and saying _piklerrukpok_, that is, Here is no more to be got.

When little children die and are buried, they put the head of a dog near the grave, fancying, that children having no understanding, they cannot by themselves find the way, but the dog must guide them to the land of the souls.

CHAP. XV.

_Their Pastimes and Diversions, as also their Poetry._

The Greenlanders have several kinds of sports and recreations, with which they pass their time, when they have nothing else to do, or when they visit one another: of which these are the most remarkable. When they meet together for diversion’s sake, the first step made is always banqueting and revelling, where they stuff themselves with all the dainty bits and the best cheer the country affords; as rein deer and seal flesh dried or boiled; and the tail of a whale, which they reckon among the greatest delicacies. Of these things they eat very greedily; for it is a great honour done to the landlord who treats, that his guests, when come home, complain that their belly was too small, and that it was ready to burst.

After the repast, they get up to divert themselves in this manner: one of the company takes a drum, which is made of a broad wooden hoop, or of the rib of a whale, covered with a thin skin, with a handle to it; which drum he beats with a stick, singing at the same time songs, either concerning the common affairs in general, or his own private ones in particular. In which, at the end of each verse, the whole chorus of men and women join with him.

He that can play the most odd and comical gestures, and play the most ridiculous tricks with his face, head, and limb, turning them awry, passes for the most ingenious fellow; as he by his awkward and out of the way postures can make others laugh.

They show their wit chiefly in satirical songs, which they compose against one another; and he, that overcomes his fellow in this way of debate, is admired and applauded by the rest of the assembly. If any body conceives a jealousy, or bears a grudge to another upon any account, he sends to him, and challenges him to a duel in such or such assembly; where he will fight it out with him in taunting ditties. Whereupon the defied, in defence of his honour, prepares his weapons, and does not fail to appear at the time and place appointed, if his courage do not forsake him. When the assembly is met, and the combatants arrived, every body being silent and attentive to hear what end the combat will take, the challenger first enters the lists, and begins to sing, accompanying it with the beat of his drum. The challenged rises also, and in silence listens, until his champion or adversary has done singing. Then he likewise enters the lists, armed with the same weapons, and lays about his party the best he can. And thus they alternately sing as long as their stock of ditties lasts. He that first gives over, is reckoned overcome and conquered. In this sort of taunting ditties they reproach and upbraid one another with their failings. And this is their common way of taking vengeance.

There is not to be expected great ingenuity or sallies and points of wit in their poesies, yet there is some cadence and number in their verses, and some kind of rhyme in them. For an instance of which I join hereto a Greenland song, or ode, composed by one of the natives, who formerly lived in our colony, by name Frederick Christian, upon the birth day of his then royal highness, Prince Christian, on the 30th of November, 1729, which is as follows.

A

GREENLAND SONG,

COMPOSED

BY FREDERICK CHRISTIAN,

A Native.

Amna aja aja, aja aja, &c. [Entry.

_One morning as I went out, and saw,
That flags and colours were flying,
And that they made ready
To fire the guns;
Then I demanded,
Why do you fire?
And they answered me, because the King’s Son’s
Birth day was celebrated,
Who is to be king after his father,_

Annigamma irsigeik, amna aja aja, &c.
Arvallirsullitlarmeta: amna aja, &c.
Opellungarsullarmeta, amna aja, &c.
Erkaiseigamig og, amna aja aja, &c.
Tava orkarbigeik, amna aja aja, &c.
Saag erkaisovise? Amna aja, &c.
Tava akkyanga, assuog Nellermago,
Okuine annivine nellermago, amna aja, &c.
Angune tokkopet kongingoromagame, amna aja, &c.

_And succeed in the kingdom.
Thereupon I said to my friend,
Let us make a song
To the King’s Son;
For he shall be made king.
This my little song shall praise him:
’Tis said, he is a brave prince,
Let us therefore rejoice;
For he shall be our king,
After his Father’s death,
We rejoice also, because
He loves us as his Father does;
Who sent over clergymen to us,
To teach us the word of God;
Lest we should go to the Devil.
Be thou like him, so shall we love thee,_

Kingoreis semmane; amna aja, &c.
Tava ikkinguntiga; amna aja aja, &c.
Pitsimik sennegiluk; amna aja, &c.
Kongib imna niamganut, amna aja, &c.
Kongingoromamet; amna aja aja, &c.
Pisingvoara una; amna aja aja, &c.
Ostantigirfaræt sillakartok unnertlugo, amna aja, &c.
Tipeitsutigeik: amna aja aja, aja aja.
Kongingoromamet; amna aja aja, aja, &c.
Angune-oy tokkoppet: amna aja aja, &c.
Tipeitsokigogut: amna aja aja, aja, &c.
Attatatut asseigalloäpatit: amna aja, &c.
Pellesille tamaunga innekaukit: amna aja, &c.
Gudimik ajokarsokullugit: amna aja, &c.
Torngarsungmut makko inneille pekonnagit: amna aja, &c.
Iblile tameitit neglitsomapaukit,

_And cherish thee,
And be thy servants.
Our ancestors have also been thy servants,
Even they.
That thou hast thought on us,
This we know very well, O gracious Son of the King.
We hope thou wilt continue so to do,
The King thy father has before possessed us,
When thou shalt be our King thou’lt prove good enough.
Whatever we possess
Shall be thine altogether.
When Greenland shall have received instruction,
Then shall they love God and honour the King.
Let us be merry,
And of the King’s Son
Drink the health. And say, Long live Christian!_

Asseigomarpaukit: amna aja aja, &c.
Kivgakomarpautigut: amna aja aja, &c.
Siurlit karalit kivgarimiaukit,
Juko: amna aja aja, aja aja, &c.
Isumatigautigut: amna aja aja, &c.
Nellungikallorapagut, Kongib Niarnga ajungitsotit,
Teimatoy isumariotit: amna aja aja, &c.
Kongib Angutit pekaramisigut,
Iblile Kongingoruit namaksimotit: amna aja, &c.
Tomasa pirsaugut: amna aja aja, &c.
Piarmapotit makko: amna aja, &c.
Karalit illerpeta: amna aja, &c.
Gud negligomaparput, Kongible nalleklugo: amna aja aja, &c.
Tecpeitsukigisa: amna aja aja, aja, &c.
Kongiblo Niarnga: amna aja aja, &c.
Skaalia immerlugo: amna aja aja, &c.
Tave okarpogut, Christian innuvit: amna aja, &c.

_And thy Consort.
May thy years be many!
(This I wish) Frederick Christian, and my friend
Peter, who were the first baptized of Greenland.
Would to God our countrymen were also._

Nulliello: amna aja aja, aja aja, &c.
Okiutikit armarlesorsuangorlutik: amna aja, &c.
Friderik Christian ikingutigalo; amna, &c.
Peder, karalinit kockkartoguk: amna, &c.
Kannoktok! Ekkarlivut tamakilit makko: amna aja, &c.
Amna, aja aja, aja aja, aja aja, hei!

They have, besides this, another sort of diversion, accompanied with singing, which consists in swopping or bartering. He that performs the office of drummer and singer, exposes one thing or other to sale, at any rate he thinks fit; if any of the company has a liking to it, he shows his consent by giving the seller a slap on his breech, and the bargain is done, and cannot be retrieved, whether good or bad. The boys and lads have also their pastimes and plays, when they meet in the evening. They take a small piece of wood, with a hole in it at one end, to that they tie a little pointed stick with a thread or string, and throwing the piece with the hole in it up into the air, they strive to catch it upon the pointed stick, through the hole. He that does it twenty times successively, and without failing, gains the match, or party, and he that misses gets a black stroke on his forehead for every time he misses. Another boy’s play is a game of chance, like cards or dice; they have a piece of wood pointed at one end, with a pin or peg in the midst, upon which it turns; when the boys are seated around, and every one laid down what they play for, one of them turns the pointed piece of wood with his finger, that it wheels about like a mariner’s compass; and when it has done, he that the point aims at, wins all that was laid down. Ball playing is their most common diversion, which they play two different ways. They divide themselves into two parties; the first party throws the ball to each other; while those of the second party endeavour to get it from them, and so by turns. The second manner is like our playing at foot ball. They mark out two barriers, at three or four hundred paces distance one from the other; then being divided into two parties, as before, they meet at the starting place, which is at the midway between the two barriers; and the ball being thrown upon the ground, they strive who first shall, get at it, and kick it with the foot, each party towards their barrier. He that is the most nimble footed and dextrous at it, kicking the ball before him, and getting the first to the barrier, has won the match.

Thus (they will tell you) the deceased play at foot ball in Heaven, with the head of a morse, when it lightens, or the North-light (aurora borealis) appears, which they fancy to be the souls of the deceased.

When their acquaintance from abroad come to see them, they spend whole days and nights in singing and dancing; and as they love to pass for men of courage and valour, they will try forces together, in wrestling, struggling, and playing hook and crook, which is to grapple with the arms and fingers made crooked, and intangled like hooks. Whoever can pull the other from his place, thinks himself a man of worth and valour. The women’s or rather the maiden’s plays, consist in dancing around, holding one another by the hand, forming a circle, and singing of songs.

CHAP. XVI.

_Of their Language._

Though the Greenland language has not affinity with other European tongues, yet it seems to have borrowed some words from the Norwegians, who formerly inhabited part of the land; for such words agree both in name and signification; as, for example, _Kona_, a Woman; _Nerriok_, to eat, from the Norway word _Noerrie_. The herb _Angelica_, which they in Norway call _Quaun_, the Greenlanders call _Qvaunnek_. A Porpoise, in Norway called _Nise_, they call _Nise_. Ashes, in Norway, _Aske_, in Greenland, _Arkset_. A Lamp, in the Norwegian, _Kolle_, in the Greenlandian, _Kollek_. Some of their words resemble Latin words of the same signification; as, _Gutta_, a drop; in the Greenland tongue, _Gutte_, or _Kutte_. _Ignis_, Fire, they call _Ingnek_. And some they have got from Hebrew roots, as, _Appa_, a word the children use to name their father, and some others.

The accent and pronunciation of it is hard and difficult, because they speak very thick, and in the throat. The same language is spoke throughout the whole country, though the accent and pronunciation differs here and there as different dialects; chiefly towards the Southern parts, where they have received and adopted many foreign words, not used in the Northern parts. But the angekuts, or divines, make use of a particular speech, whenever they conjure; for then they use metaphorical locutions and words in a contrary sense. The women-kind also have a particular pronunciation peculiar to themselves, and different from that of the men, making use of the softest letters at the end of words, instead of hard ones; for example, _Am_ for _Ap_, that is, _Yes_. _Saving_, for _Savik_, a _Knife_. Their language, in common, wants the letters, _c_, _d_, _f_, _q_, _x_. They have besides many double and unknown consonants, which is the cause, that many of their words cannot be spelt according to their manner of pronouncing them. For the rest, their expressions are very natural and easy, and their constructions so neat and regular, that one would hardly expect so much from a nation so unpolite and illiterate. The language is very rich of words and sense, and of such energy, that one is often at a loss and puzzled to render it in Danish; but then again it wants words to express such things as are foreign, and not in use among them. They have monosyllables and polysyllables, but most of the last. Their words, as well nouns as verbs, are inflected at the end, by varying the terminations, without the help of the articles or particles, like the Greek and Latin. The adjectives always follow their substantives; but the possessive pronouns are joined to the nouns, as the Hebrew suffixa[35]: nor have the nouns alone their suffixa, but the verbs also. To satisfy the reader’s curiosity, I have hereto joined a list of some of the words and a sketch, showing the construction and inflections of this language.

VOCABULARY OF THE LANGUAGE OF GREENLAND.

_Singular._ _Dual._ _Plural._

Innuk, _Mankind_, Innuk, Innuit. Angut, _a Man_, Angutik, Angutit. Arnak, _a Woman_, Arnek, Arnet. Niakok, _the Head_, Niakuk, Niakut. Irse, _an Eye_, Irsik, Irsit. Kingak, _the Nose_, Kingek, Kinget. Kinak, _the Face_, Kinek, Kinet. Kannek, _Mouth_, Kannek, Kangit. Okak, _Tongue_, Okek, Oket. Kiut, _a Tooth_, Kiutik, Kiutit. Kartlo, _a Lip_, Kartluk, Kartluit. Suit, _an Ear_, Siutik, Siutit. Nyak, _Head of Hair_, Nytkiek, Nytkiet. Sækik, _the Breast_, Sækkirsek, Sækkirset. Iviange, _Bubby_, Iviangik, Iviangit. Tue, _Shoulder_, Tubik, Tubit. Tellek, _Arm_, Tellik, Tellit. Ikusik, _Elbow_, Ikivtik, Ikivtit. Arkseit, _Hand (that is the Fingers), is plural only_. Tikek, _Finger_, Tikik, Tirkerit. Kukik, _Nail_, Kukik, Kuket. Nak, _Belly_, Nersek, Nerset. Innelo, _Bowel_, Inneluk, Inneluit. Okpet, _the Thigh_, Okpetik, Okpetit. Sibbiak, _the Hip_, Sibbirsek, Sibbirset. Serkok, _Knee_, Serkuk, Serkuit. Kannak, _Shank_, Kannek, Kannerset. Isiket, _Foot, is only of the plural number_. Kimik, _Heel_, Kimik, Kimikt.

The construction with Possessive Pronouns is thus.

Iglo, _a House_, Igluk, Iglut. _My House_, Igluga, Igluka, Igluka. _Thy House_, Iglut, Iglukit, Iglutit. _His House_, Igloa, Igluk, Igloëi. _His own House_, Iglune, Iglugne, Iglune. _Our House_, Iglout, Iglogat, Iglovut. _Your House_, Iglurse, Iglursik, Igluse. _Their House_, Igloæt, Igloæk, Iglöeit. _Their own House_, Iglurtik, Iglutik, Iglutik.

This same Noun’s construction with the suffixas at Prepositions, _mik_ and _nik_, _mit_ and _nit_, which signifies from; _mut_ and _nut_, to; _me_ and _ne_, on or upon, is thus performed.

_Singular._ _Dual._ _Plural._ _To the House_, Iglomut, Iglugnut, Iglunut. _To my House_, Iglumnut, idem, idem. _To thy House_, Iglungnut, idem, idem. _To his House_, Igloanut, Igloennut, Iglocinut. _To his own House_, Iglominut, Iglungminut, Iglominut. _To our House_, Iglotivnut, Iglutivnut, idem. _To your House_, Iglusivnut, idem, idem. _To their House_, Igloænut, idem, Iglöeinut. _To their own House_, Iglomingnut, idem, idem.

As to the verbs, they are either simple or compounded: there are five conjugations, to which may be added a sixth of negative verbs. There are three tenses in all, the present, preterit, and future; and six moods, _viz._ indicative, interrogative, imperative, permissive, conjunctive, and infinitive.

The examples of the simple verbs are these. The first conjugation ends in _kpok_, as _Ermikpok_, he washes himself: _Aglekpok_, he writes.

The second ends in _rpok_, as _Mattarpok_, he undresses himself: _Aularpok_, he sets out on a journey: _Ajokarsorpok_, he teaches.

The third conjugation ends in _pokpurum_; that is, in _pok_ preceded by a vowel, as _Egipok_, he throws away; _Inginok_, he sits down; _Akpapok_, he runs.

The fourth ends in _ok_ or _vok_, as _Pyok_, he receives: _Aglyok_, he grows: _Assavok_, he loves.

The fifth conjugation ends in _au_, as _Irsigau_, he ogles; _Arsigau_, he resembles; _Angekau_, he is tall.

The sixth conjugation of negative verbs ends in _ngilak_, as _Ermingilak_, he does not wash himself: _Mattengilak_, he does not undress himself: _Pingilak_, he receives not: _Egingilak_, he throws not away: _Irsigingilak_, he ogles not.

Inflexion of a Verb with the suffixes of a person agent of the first conjugation in _kpok_.

Indicative. Present.

_Singular_. _Dual_ _Plural_.

_He washes himself_, _The two wash themselves_, _They wash themselves_, Ermikpok. Ermikpuk. Ermikput.

_I wash myself_, _We two wash ourselves_, _We wash us_. Ermikpunga. Ermikpoguk. Ermikpogut.

_Thou wash thyself_, _You two wash yourselves_, _You wash yourselves_. Ermikpotit. Ermikpotik. Ermikpose.