The last adventurer, that was sent upon the discovery of Greenland, according to Torfæus in his History of Greenland, was Captain Otto Axelson, in the year 1670, in the reign of Christian V of glorious memory. But what success this adventurer met with he leaves us to guess. Nevertheless we find, in a manuscript description of Greenland, written by Arngrim Vidalin, Part iii, chap. 1, that his said majesty did invite, and with great privileges encourage Mr. George Tormúhlen, counsellor of commerce at Bergen, to fit out ships for the said discovery; whereupon the said counsellor not only got ready shipping well stored for such an expedition, but also got together a number of passengers, who resolved to go and settle in those parts, whom he provided with all things necessary for that purpose; both provision and ammunition, as well as houses made of timber, ready to be erected in that country. But this great design miscarried, the ship being taken by the French and brought into Dunkirk. Thus, for a long while, it seemed, that all thought of Greenland was laid aside until the year 1721; when after many well-meant invitations, and projects proposed by me to the Greenland company at Bergen in Norway, approved and authorised by his late majesty Frederick IV of glorious memory, the company thereupon resolved not only to send ships, but also to settle a colony in Greenland in 64°; when I went over with my whole family and remained there fifteen years. During my stay I endeavoured to get all the intelligence that could be procured both by sea and land of the present state of the country, and did not lose my labour; for I found some places that formerly were inhabited by the old Norwegians, on the Western shore. Which expedition I have lately treated of in another treatise, and set out in all its circumstances, and with all the difficulties it has laboured under; wherefore I think it need not be here repeated. But whereas my main drift and endeavour has been all along chiefly to discover the Eastern district of Greenland, which always was reckoned the best of our ancient colonies, accordingly I received from the above mentioned Greenland company at Bergen a letter, in the year 1723, in which I was told, that it was his majesty’s pleasure, that the East district might likewise be visited and discovered. Which the better to effectuate, I took the resolution to make this voyage in person; and accordingly I coasted it Southwards, as far as to the States Promontory, looking out for the Strait of Frobisher, which would have been my shortest way, according to those charts, which lay the said strait down in this place; but such a strait I could not find. Now as it grew too late in the year for me to proceed farther, the month of September being nearly at an end, when the winter season begins in those parts, accompanied by dreadful storms, I was obliged to return.