Page:Journal of a Voyage to Greenland, in the Year 1821.djvu/223

Rh mountain geometrically, and found it to be six thousand eight hundred and seventy feet above the level of the sea. As we proceeded along the south and west sides, we sounded in thirty-seven fathoms, and brought up small shells. In the early part of the season the ice not only often surrounds this island, but extends from hence to the east side of Old Greenland. This island derives its name from that of a Dutch navigator who first saw it, in 1611; soon after that period it was visited by some whale fishers from Hull, who named it Trinity Island, and it was, on the petition of the corporation of that port, granted to them by King James 1st. It lies between 70° 50′, and 71° 8′ north latitude, and between 7° 26′, and 8° 44′ west longitude. It is in length about ten leagues north-east and south-west, and does not exceed three leagues in breadth over any part. The northern extremity is of a rhomboidal form, where the remarkable peak or mountain of Beeringberg is seated, the base of which covers the width; but the southern extremity of the island does not exceed three or four miles in width. The Dutch, from deriving great advantage by the practice, constantly visited this island from its earliest discovery, for the purpose of fishing; and in 1633, seven seamen of that nation made the attempt to pass the winter there, no doubt, with a view of establishing a colony, but they masked their scheme, under the pretence of determining some scientific observations disputed among astronomers. It appears, that they survived