1853.] PECULIAR PILE OF STONES. 291 



tliis channel. On reaching the mark I found a still more 

 perplexing puzzle than any we had yet met with. Solid 

 and heavy structures we well know are capable of resist- 

 ing the pressure of snow, wind, etc. ; but here was a 

 pile, consisting of five or six stones, constructed with 

 such mathematical ability by the hand of man, that it 

 was at present firm and complete, but tottering if any 

 one stone was abstracted ! 



To argue against the visit of man up this channel is 

 absurd : man built this cairn ; all these objects lie in his 

 direct path, and he selected heights. As to the ability of 

 the Western Esquimaux, I have many convincing speci- 

 mens of their workmanship, evincing a high degree of 

 intelligence, and a wonderful habit of adaptation of the 

 means to their object. If these structures had been of 

 this season, I should have imagined that Commander 

 Pullen or Mr. M'Cormick's people had forestalled me in 

 this channel : but the operations are, on mature reflec- 

 tion, too laborious for Europeans. They are the result 

 of long delay and constant application, to serve some 

 important purpose, at least deemed to be so by the con- 

 structors. 



