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.
The inflexion with suffixes of a person patient is formed this way.
_Thou washest me_. _Ye two wash me_, _You wash me_,
Ermikparma, Ermikpautiga. Ermikpausinga.
_He washes me_, _The two wash me_, _They wash me_,
Ermikpanga. Ermikpainga. Ermikpanga.
_I wash him_, _We two wash him_, _We wash him_,
Ermikpara. Ermikparpuk. Ermikparput.
_He washes him_, _The two wash him_, _They wash him_,
Ermikpæ. Ermikpæk. Ermikpæt.
_Thou washest him_, _Ye two wash him_, _You wash him_,
Ermikpet. Ermikpartik. Ermikparse.
_I wash thee_, _We two wash thee_, _We wash thee_,
Ermikpaukit. Ermikpautikit. Ermikpæutigit.
_He washes thee_, _The two wash thee_, _They wash thee_,
Ermikpatit. idem. idem.
_Thou washest us_, _Ye two wash us,_ _You wash us_,
Ermikpautigut. ----pautigut. Ermikpausigut.
_He washes us_, _The two wash us_, _They wash us_,
Ermikpatigut. idem. idem.
_I wash you_, _We two wash you_, _We wash you_,
Ermikpause, idem. idem.
_He washes you_, _The two wash you_, _They wash you_,
Ermikpase. idem. idem.
_I wash them_, _We two wash them_, _We wash them_,
Ermikpaka. Ermikpauvut. idem.
_He washes them_, _The two wash them_, _They wash them_,
Ermikpei. Ermikpatik. Ermikpase.
_Thou washest them_, _Ye two wash them,_ _Ye wash them_,
Ermikpatit. Ermikpatik. Ermikpeit.
Inflexion of the Negative Verb.
_He washes not_ _The two wash not_ _They wash not_
_himself_, _themselves._, _themselves._,
Ermingilak. Ermingilek. Ermingilat.
_I do not wash_ _We two wash not_ _We wash not_
_myself_, _ourselves_, _ourselves_,
Ermingilanga. Ermingilaguk. Ermingilagut.
_Thou dost not wash_ _Ye two do not wash_ _You do not wash_
_thyself_, _yourselves_, _yourselves_,
Ermingilatit. Ermingilatik. Ermingilase.
With the suffixes of the patient person the negative verbs are
inflected like the affirmatives; as,
_He washes me not_, _Ye two wash me not_, _They wash me not_,
Ermingilanga. idem. idem.
_Thou washest me not_, _Ye two wash me not,_ _You wash me not_,
Ermingilarma. Ermingilautinga. Ermingilausinga.
And in the same manner you may inflect all verbs whatsoever.
The preterits and futures have the same suffixa as the present tense.
Concerning the compounded verbs, it is to be observed, that, whereas
their auxiliary verbs are but few, they make use of several particles to
supply their place, which are annexed to the simple verbs, and so make
them compounded verbs, yet these particles by themselves are not used,
nor of any signification. And by this connection or composition the
simple verbs change their conjugation. As for example,
First, in this expression, they used to do so and so, the composition is
formed thus; of the simple verb _Erminpok_, he washes himself, in the
composition is made _Ermingarace_, he uses to wash himself. _Kieavok_,
he weeps; _Kieeillarau_, he uses to weep; _Aularpok_, he goes from home;
_Aulararau_, he uses to go from home.
Second, when the expression runs thus, he comes to do this or that, it
is turned in this manner. _Ermigiartorpok_, he comes to wash himself;
_Aglegiartorpok_, he comes to write. And so in all other compositions.
But there are not only verbs compounded with one, but sometimes with
two, three, or more particles joined to the verb, when there is a longer
sentence to be expressed. And for this reason, the words and particles
undergo a great many changes and variations, inasmuch as they retain but
certain radical letters, the rest either being thrown away and
quite lost, or else changed for others. As for instance,
_Aulisariartorasuarpok_, he made haste to go out a fishing. Here three
verbs are joined together in one. _Aulisarpok_, he fishes; _Peartorpok_,
to go about something; and _Pinnesuarpok_, to make haste. Again,
_Aglekkinniarit_, endeavour to write better. Here we have another
threefold composition. First, _Aglekpok_, he writes; then _Pekipok_, to
mend, or do better, and at last _Pinniarpok_, to endeavour. From whence
comes the verb _Aglikkinniarpok_, he endeavours to write better; in the
imperative mood, _Aglekkinniarit_, as above.
_The Creed, and the Lord’s Prayer, translated into the Greenland
Language._
ARTICLE I.
Operpunga Gud-mun Attatavnut, ajuakangitsomut, killagmik nunamiglo
sennarsomut.
ARTICLE II.
Operpunga Jesus Christusmut, Ernetuanut, Nallegautimut, Annersamit
helligmit pirsok, Niviarsamit Mariamit erniursok; anniartok Pontius
Pilatus-mit; Isektitaursok, tokkorsok, illirsorto, allernum akkartok.
Ullut pingajuane tokkorsonit makitok; Killangmut Kollartok; Angume Gub
tellerpiet tungane ipsiarsok; tersanga amma tikiytsomaryok, umarsullo
tokongarsullo auiksartitsartorlugit.
ARTICLE III.
Operpunga Gub Annersanut, opertokartoniglo nuname: Innungliglo
helligniglo illegeinik, Synderronermiglo, Timiniglo umaromartonik,
tokkorsublo Kingorna tokkoviungitsokartomik. Amen.
_The Lord’s Prayer._
NALLEKAM OKAUSIA.
Attavut killangmepotit, akkit usorolirsuk; Nallegavet aggerle; pekorset
Killangme nunam etog tamaikile: Tunnisigun ullume nekiksautivnik;
pissarauneta aketsorauta, pisingilaguttog akectsortivut; Ursennartomut
pisitsaraunata; ajortomin annautigut: Nallegauet, Pisarlo, usornartorlo
pigangaukit isukangithomun. Amen.
CHAP. XVII.
_Of the Greenland Trade, and whether, in promoting it, there is any
Advantage to be expected._
The goods and commodities Greenland affords for the entertaining of
commerce, or traffic, are whale blubber or fat, and whale bones, unicorn
horns, rein deer skins and hides, seal and fox skins. These wares they
barter against merchandizes of our produce, as coats and shirts made of
white, blue, red or striped linen or woollen cloth; as also knives,
hand-saws, needles, hooks to angle with, looking-glasses, and other such
merchandize or hardwares: besides what they buy of wood, as rafts,
poles, deal boards, chests; and of brass and copper, as kettles and the
like, tin dishes and plates; for which they pay to the full price. At
the beginning of our late settlement in those parts the trade was much
brisker than at present, and much more profitable; for foreign traders
flocking thither in great numbers have so overstocked them with goods,
and undersold one another, to draw the natives to them from others, that
the trade is considerably slackened and fallen. Yet I trust, that, if we
once became masters of this trade, as it in justice belongs to us, by
the right the King of Denmark lawfully claims to these countries as much
as any kingdom or province subject to him; I trust, that, with this
proviso, the trade to Greenland would prove as profitable as any other
whatsoever; which has been evidenced not long ago, when by his Majesty’s
special order foreign trade has been prohibited within a certain
distance on each side of the colonies. For if the lading of some ships
with fish and train from Finmark, and others of fish, train, salt meat,
and butter from Iceland and Fero, bring to the traders considerable
profit; who would question, but the same or better advantage may be
expected from the importing quantities of whale train, whale bones,
rein deer hides, fox and seal skins, which are of more value than the
Iceland or Feroe? And, if the produce or commodities of Greenland were
formerly reckoned of that importance, that they were deemed sufficient
to maintain the King’s table, why not also at present? provided
Greenland may by settlements and improvement retrieve its former
abundance, which is not impossible.
If the old lands, formerly inhabited and manured by the Norway colonies,
were anew peopled with men and cattle; they would, without doubt, yield
as much as either Iceland or Feroe, seeing there is as good pasture
ground as in those islands. I shall forbear to mention salmon and cod
fishing, as it seems at present to be but of little or no importance,
especially on the West side; though I am credibly informed by the
natives, that on the Southern coast they catch abundance of fine large
cod. Yet this may be more than sufficiently compensated by the whale
fishery on the North and the capture of seals on the South, which if
rightly undertaken, and with vigour set on foot, will bring as much, nay
far more profit than the salmon and cod catching does in other places;
chiefly the seal capture, which can be undertaken at very small
expenses, _viz._ at the coast with strong nets, with which they may
catch many thousands in Greenland; which, if hitherto not practised,
ought to be imputed to negligence and want of a good regulation. In
short, Greenland, as we see, is very convenient for trading, and may be
very well worth one’s while to take in hand. But there is little to be
done, without an established and formed company of men of substance as
well as resolution; being altogether impossible and above the strength
of any private man to master it and go through with it.
CHAP. XVIII.
_The Religion, or rather Superstition, of the Greenlanders._
The Greenlanders’ ignorance of a Creator would make one believe they
were atheists, or rather naturalists. For, when they have been asked
from whence they thought that Heaven and Earth had their origin, they
have answered nothing, but that it had always been so. But if we
consider, that they have some notion of the immortality of souls[36],
and that there is another much happier life after this; moreover, as
they are addicted to different kinds of superstition, and that they hold
there is a Spiritual Being, which they call Torngarsuk, to whom they
ascribe a supernatural power, though not the creation or the production
of creatures (of whose origin they tell many absurd and ridiculous
stories), all this, I say, supposes some sort of worship; although they
do not themselves, out of their brutish stupidity, understand or infer
so much, or make use of the light of nature and the remaining spark of
the image of God in their souls, to consider the invisible being of God
by his visible works, which is the creation of the world.--Rom. i. For
which reason, instead of attaining the knowledge of God and true
religion, they are unhappily fallen into many gross superstitions.
But notwithstanding that all these superstitions are authorized by, and
grounded upon the notion they have of him they call Torngarsuk, whom
their lying angekuts or prophets hold for their oracle, whom they
consult on all occasions, yet the commonalty know little or nothing of
him, except the name only: nay even the angekuts themselves are divided
in the whimsical ideas they have formed of his being; some saying he is
without any form or shape; others giving him that of a bear, others
again pretending he has a large body and but one arm; and some make him
as little as a finger. There are those who hold he is immortal, and
others, that a puff of wind can kill him. They assign him his abode in
the lower regions of the Earth, where they tell you there is constantly
fine sunshiny weather, good water, deer, and fowls in abundance. They
also say he lives in the water; wherefore, when they come to any water,
of which they have not drank before, and there be any old man in the
company, they make him drink first, in order to take away its
Torngarsuk, or the malignant quality of the water, which might make them
sick and kill them. They hold furthermore, that a spirit resides in the
air, which they name Innertirrirsok, that is, the Moderator or
Restrainer, because it is pursuant to his order, that the angekuts
command the people to restrain or abstain from certain things or
actions, that they may not come into harm’s way. According to their
theology, or mythology, there is yet one spirit, harbinger of the air,
whom they stile Erloersortok, which signifies a Gutter, because he guts
the deceased, and feeds upon their intestines. His countenance, they
say, is very ghastly and haggard, hollow eyes and cheeks, like a body
that is starved.
Each element has its governor or president, which they call Innuæ[37];
from whence the angekuts receive their torngak, or familiar spirits.
For every angekkok has a torngak, who attends him, after he has ten
times conjured in the dark.
Some have their own deceased parents for their torngak, and others get
theirs out of some of our nation, who they say discharge their fire arms
when they wait before the entry of the place where the angekkok performs
his conjuration. Whether Torngak and Torngarsuk be one and the same
thing I shall not decide; but certain it is, that one is derived from
the other. From Torngarsuk the angekuts pretend they learn the art of
conjuring; which they are taught in this method. If one aspires to the
office of an angekkok, and has a mind to be initiated into these
mysteries, he must retire from the rest of mankind, into some remote
place, from all commerce; there he must look for a large stone, near
which he must sit down and invoke Torngarsuk, who, without delay,
presents himself before him. This presence so terrifies the new
candidate of angekutism, that he immediately sicken, swoons away, and
dies; and in this condition he lies for three whole days; and then he
comes to life again, arises in a newness of life, and betakes himself to
his home again. The science of an angekkok consists of three things. 1.
That he mutters certain spells over sick people, in order to make them
recover their former health. 2. He communes with Torngarsuk, and from
him receives instruction, to give people advice what course they are to
take in affairs, that they may have success, and prosper therein. 3. He
is by the same informed of the time and cause of any body’s death; or
for what reason any body comes to an untimely and uncommon end; and if
any fatality shall befal a man. And though this lying spirit of the
angekuts is oftentimes found out by their gross mistakes, when the
events do not answer their false predictions, as commonly happens; yet,
for all that, they are in great honour and esteem among this stupid and
ignorant nation, insomuch that nobody ever dare refuse the strictest
obedience to what they command him in the name of Torngarsuk, fearing,
that, in case of disobedience, some great affliction and misfortune may
happen to him. Among many other fibs, and most impudent lies, they make
also these silly stupid wretches believe, that they can, with hands and
feet tied, mount up to Heaven, and see how matters stand there; and
likewise descend to Hell, or the lower regions of the Earth, where the
fierce Torngarsuk keeps his court. A young angekkok must not undertake
this journey but in the fall of the year, by reason, that then the
lowermost Heaven, which they take the rainbow to be, is nearest to the
Earth.
The farce or imposture is thus acted: a number of spectators assemble in
the evening at one of their houses, where, after it is grown dark,
every one being seated, the angekkok causes himself to be tied, his head
between his legs and his hands behind his back, and a drum is laid at
his side; thereupon, after the windows are shut and the light put out,
the assembly sings a ditty, which, they say, is the composition of their
ancestors; when they have done singing the angekkok begins with
conjuring, muttering, and brawling; invokes Torngarsuk, who instantly
presents himself, and converses with him (here the masterly juggler
knows how to play his trick, in changing the tone of his voice, and
counterfeiting one different from his own, which makes the too credulous
hearers believe, that this counterfeited voice is that of Torngarsuk,
who converses with the angekkok.) In the mean while he works himself
loose, and, as they believe, mounts up into Heaven through the roof of
the house, and passes through the air till he arrives into the highest
of heavens, where the souls of angekkut poglit, that is, the chief
angekkuts, reside, by whom he gets information of all he wants to know.
And all this is done in the twinkling of an eye.
Concerning the angekkut poglit, whom we just now mentioned, as they pass
for the heads of the clergy, and are reckoned the most eminent and
wisest of all, they also must pass through the inferior orders, and
several hard trials, before they can attain to this high degree of
pre-eminency; for none is deemed worthy of such a dignity, but he that
has made his noviciateship in the lower rank, as an ordinary angekkok.
The trial he must undergo, is this: they tie his hands and feet, as
aforesaid, and after the light is put out, and they are all left in
darkness (that nobody may see how the trick is played, and their
imposture be discovered), then they pretend that a white bear enters the
room, takes hold of his great toe with his teeth, and dragging him along
to the sea shore, jumps with him into the sea, where a morse is ready,
and takes hold of him by his privy parts, devouring him, together with
the white bear. A little while after all his bones are thrown in upon
the floor, one after another, not one missing; and then his soul rises
up off the ground, which gathers the bones, and animates the whole body
again, and up starts the man, a hale and entire as ever he was; and thus
he is made an angekkok poglik.
The angekkuts, as before observed, are kept in great honour and esteem,
and beloved and cherished as a wise and useful set of men; they are also
well rewarded for their service, when it is wanted. But, on the
contrary, there is another sort of conjurers or sorcerers, especially
some decrepid old women, which they call illiseersut, or witches, who
persuade themselves and others, that, by the virtue of their spells and
witchcraft they can hurt people in their life and goods. These are not
upon the same footing with the angekkuts; for as soon as any one incurs
only the suspicion of such demeanor, he or she is hated and detested by
every body, and at last made away with, without mercy, as a plague to
mankind, and not deemed worthy to live.
Moreover the angekkuts abuse the people’s credulity, making them
believe, that they can cure all sorts of diseases; though they apply
such remedies as have no virtue in them to cure, such as muttering of
spells, and blowing upon the sick bodies; wherein they resemble to a
hair those conjurers of which the prophet Isaiah speaks, chapter viii,
verse 19.