The exports from Greenland are, feathers and eider down, horns of the sea-unicorns (Blonodon Monoceros,) skins of seals, of the blue and white foxes, white bears, white hares, and reindeers, whale-bone and blubber, or oil of every kind.
The imports directly from Copenhagen to Greenland are, guns, powder and shot, all kinds of ironmongery, par ticularly knives, files, axes, needles, nails, arrow-heads, li nen and hosiery ; articles of luxury for the women, such as cottons, ribbons, gloves, looking-glasses, snuff-boxes ; tobacco is an article in great demand everywhere. They are also anxious to obtain rye-bread, barley, tea, coffee, beer, and brandy. The latter article, however, is strictly prohibited from being sold, or even given to any Green lander. Every spring, in the beginning of May, five or six vessels go out from Cofbliagen to Greenland with the articles of trade for the natives, and the necessaries and comforts of life for the Europeans. The cargoes of these vessels may be calculated at 65,000 rix-dollars (13,0001. sterling.) The value of the productions carried to Copen hagen may amount, on an average, to 85,000 rixdollars (17,000/. sterling.) But the communication between Greenland and Copenhagen was entirely suspended for five years, in consequence of the war between Great Bri tain and Denmark. The buildings and stores of the Green land company have suffered very much, from not having been repaired, in consequence of the want of timber and other materials ; and it is now supposed that the establish ments will be reduced to a smaller scale.
The natives inhabiting the western coast of Greenland, from the 59th degree to the highest north, belong to the Mongolic race of mankind. They are called Skritllingar by the old Icelanders and Norwegians, on account of their little stature ; but they call themselves, in their own lan guage, Innuit, that is, men or human beings, in opposition to other creatures, and this not from presumption. They are called Esquimaux, or Eskimos, by some authors. They speak the same language as the inhabitants of Labrador and part of Hudson's Bay, and their mode of living is very similar. They are probably spread over Behring's Strait, and part of Nootka and William's Sound, as it ap pears from the maps of the late Captain Cook, where sonic islands are marked with names used by the Greenlanders in Davis Strait. They resemble one another in their sta
ture, their complexion, and their customs. Living under a rigorous climate, which presents very few productions, the size of their bodies is reduced by the nature and scarcity of their food, and the extreme cold. Although the stature of the Greenlanders is in general below the common standard, their persons are not proportionably slender, being usually pretty plump, but very seldom mus cular. Their lace is large and broad, the nose not very flat, but small and short ; the nostrils somewhat wide, the cheek bones high, the cheeks round and plump. The face frequently appears fallen in quite across between the tem ples. The forehead is low, the eyes little and black, dull and drooping, but having the power to distinguish accu rately at a very great distance. The eyelids are drawn towards the temple ; the mouth is generally little, and round; the teeth very regular, and beautifully white ; the lips thick, and turned outwards ; the under lip somewhat thicker than the upper. The beards and eyebrows are thin, but they have abundance of hair on their head, which is black, long, coarse, and straight. Their necks are short, their legs thin, but their feet and hands are small and very well formed ; their are uncommonly large. The shape of the women is very similar to that of the men, and they resemble them so nearly, that one cannot at first distinguish the sexes, their dresses being nearly the same. The appearance of the women is by no means feminine ; they have high breasts and broad shoulders, being accus tomed, when very young, to labour hard, and carry great burdens. The Greenlanders are of a yellowish grey co lour, which approaches somewhat to olive green ; but this may be attributed not only to the climate, but to their dirty habits, and to the great quantity of smoke and soot which their houses contain ; for their children are born as white as any European child.