Page:A description of Greenland.djvu/90

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60
The Natural Hiſtory
pect, with white long Hairs; he is greedy of human Blood[1]. The Natives tell us moreover of another kind of ravenous Beaſts, which they call Amarok, which eagerly purſue other Beaſts as well as Mne; yet none of them could ſay, they ever had ſeen them, but only had it from others by hearſay; and whereas none of our own People, who have travelled up and down the Country, ever met with any ſuch Beaſt, therefore I take it to be a mere Fable. Rain-Deer are in ſome Places in ſo great Numbers, that you will ſee whole Herds of them[2]; and when
they
  1. The Bears here purſue Men, and other Beaſts.In the 76th Degree of Latitude the Number of Bears is ſo great, that they in Droves ſurround the Natives Habitations, who then, with their Dogs, fall upon them, and with their Spears and Lances kill them. In Winter, inſtead of Dens or Caves under the Earth, as in Norway and other Places, here the Bears make theirs under the Snow; which, according to the Information the Natives have given me, are made with Pillars, like ſtately Buildings.
  2. The farther you go Northwards, the ſeldomer you meet with Rain-Deer, except in the 3d or 4th Degree to the North of Diſco, where they are in great Numbers; perhaps by reaſon either of its joining to America, or elſe becauſe the Deer paſs over to the Iſlands upon the
Ice,