And to this ende haue I taken pen in my hand, as in conscience thereunto mooued, desiring much rather, that of the great multitude which this Realme doth nourish, farre better able to handle this matter then I my selfe am, it would haue pleased some one of them to haue vndertaken the same.  But seeing they are silent, and that it falleth to my lotte to put pen to the paper, I will endeuour my selfe, and doe stand in good hope (though my skill and knowledge bee simple, yet through the assistence of almightie God) to probue that the [Sidenote:  The argument of the booke.] Voyage lately enterprised, for trade, traffique, and planting in America, is an action tending to the lawfull enlargement of her Maiesties Dominions, commodious to the whole Realme in general, profitable to the aduenturers in particular, benefciall to the Sauages, and a matter to be atteined without any great danger or difficultie.

And lastly, (which is most of all) A thing likewise tending to the honour and glory of Almightie God.  And for that the lawfulnesse to plant in those Countreys in some mens iudgements seemeth very doubtfull, I will beginne the proofe of the lawfulnesse of trade, traffique, and planting.

END OF VOL XII.

APPENDICES.

Appendices.

I. Greenland.

Greenland is an extensive country, the greater part of which belongs to Denmark, situated between Iceland and the continent of America.  Its southern extremity, Cape Farewell, is situated in 59 deg. 49 min.  N. lat, and 43 deg. 54 min.  W. lon.  The British Arctic expedition of 1876 traced; tee northern shores as far as Cape Britannia, in lat. 82 deg. 54 min.  The German Arctic expedition of 1870 pursued the east coast as high as 77 deg.  N., so that between Koldeway’s furthest in 1870 and Beaumont’s farthest in 1876 there remains an interval of more than 500 miles of the Greenland coast yet unexplored.  The estimated area of the whole country is about 340,000 square miles.  The outline forming the sea-coast of Greenland is in general high, rugged, and barren; close to the water’s edge it rises into tremendous precipices and lofty mountains, covered with inaccessible cliffs, which may be seen from the sea at a distance of more than 60 miles.

The vast extent of Greenland, together with its peculiar position between Europe and America, secures for it a very special interest.  From its most northern discovered point, Cape Britannia, it stretches southward, in a triangular form, for a distance of 1500 miles.  Its interior is nearly a closed book to us, but the coast has been thoroughly explored and examined on the western side from Cape Farewell to Upernavik, a distance of about 800 miles, as well as along the western shores of the channels leading from Smith’s Sound; and from Cape Farewell to the Danebrog Islands and Cape Bismarck on the east side.  These belts of coast line consist of the most glorious mountain scenery—­lofty peaks, profound ravines, long valleys, precipices and cliffs, vast glaciers, winding fiords often running 100 miles into the interior, and innumerable islands.