1853.] APPARENT GRAVES DISCOVERED. 285 



Dundas and Hamilton Islands, westerly; and to the east- 

 ward Cape Hogarth and nature's own cairn were clearly 

 defined. But 1 had brief time to dwell on these objects: 

 ray attention was arrested by two structures, not many 

 yards from where I stood, and, from their outlines, ex- 

 citing greater interest than the cairn noticed on Mount 

 Discovery. These were apparently graves, and, to my 

 senses, raised by European hands ; moreover, in no sin- 

 gle feature did they resemble anything hitherto noticed 

 among Esquimaux. I approached, examined them, and 

 still felt more convinced that in the present case my con- 

 jectures were well founded. My first impression was to 

 remove the slabs, and proceed to the examination, but 

 they were very heavy ; and it occurred to me that the 

 disturbance, as well as examination, should be under- 

 taken by other parties present to witness the result. I 

 therefore desisted, revolving in my mind, during my re- 

 turn to the tent, the discovery of the before-mentioned 

 cairn and these two objects, and fully prepared to expect 

 some result throwing satisfactory light on the object of 

 our Expedition. 



The direction of these structures was east and west 

 (true) : the length too great for the body of any Esqui- 



- 



maux, being about seven or eight feet, and three feet in 

 width : each end was terminated by three slabs, over- 

 lying each other in gradation, and to my ideas intended 



