MODERN VIKINGS IN THE ARCTIC SEAS 411 



far side of it, and for the moment they feared that, after all, it was 

 only a portion of Ellesmere Land, though making the area of that 

 much larger than had hitherto been believed. To prove or disprove 

 their fears they commenced to cross the ice in the bay. As they 

 proceeded, the land at the head of the bay was seen to suddenly 

 open out and reveal a sound running between two islands. It was 

 new land which lay before them, and with great jubilation they 

 named the channel Eureka Sound. The position was 78 degrees 

 50 minutes north latitude and 84 degrees west longitude. 



Close examination of this island led to the discovery of remains 

 of extensive Eskimo settlements, showing that at one time there 

 had been a considerable population where now not a single Eskimo 

 was to be found. The presence of whale bones among the ruins of 

 the huts told of a still further change that had occurred, for whales 

 are now quite extinct in that part, and have been so for a long 

 period. 



Sverdrup pushed his exploration farther north, along the 

 western coast of the extensive island variously known as Ellesmere 

 Land in its southern portion, Grinnell Land in its central, and 

 Grant Land in its northern. Its northern and western portion had 

 been surveyed by the various expeditions of Nares, Greely and 

 Peary, whose surveys had extended to its northwest extremity, but 

 Sverdrup completed the survey of its eastern side, his expedition 

 reaching the northwest cape and completely demonstrating its 

 insular character. 



He continued his explorations to the westward, tracing the 

 coast line of Axel Helborg Island, discovered by him west of Eureka 

 Sound. Westward still, north of the group of Parry Islands, he 

 located and surveyed the coasts of three other islands, two of which 

 he named Ellef Ringnes Land and Amund Ringnes Land, in honor 

 of the patrons of his expedition. The third, lying southwest of 

 these, was given the name of King Christian Land, after the Danish 

 King, the strait separating it from Ellef Ringnes Land being named 

 Danish Sound. 



