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 NATURAL HISTORY OF Greenland. CHAPTER I. [Illustration] _Of the Situation and Extent of Greenland._