﻿314 ESKIMOS. * Sept. 



learnt that we had interrupted their day's occu- 

 pation in killing rein-deer. The more active among 

 them go at this season to the meadows which we 

 had crossed on the previous day, and gradually drive 

 the animals to the inlet, hemming them in, and 

 compelling them, with the aid of their dogs, to take 

 the water. As soon as this takes place, the rest of 

 the party, who are lying in wait in their kaiyaks, 

 paddle towards the herd, and spear as many of 

 them as they can. A considerable quantity of deer's 

 meat was hanging to dry on stages ; and we pur- 

 chased a little of it for our evening meal. 



These people told us, as I have mentioned al- 

 ready, that the ice had parted from the shore only 

 a very short time this season, which, they added, was 

 almost unprecedented within their recollection. 

 Their migrations extend only to the lower part of 

 the Coppermine River on one side, and a short way 

 along the coast on the other. They communicate 

 occasionally with the Eskimos of WoUaston Land, 

 but none of them had been so far to the westward 

 as the sources of Rae's River. The want of umiaks 

 was a sufficient indication of the shortness of their 

 migrations seaward. 



Our friend with the wen accompanied us three 

 or four miles on our journey, to show us a ford 

 across Richardson's River; but the number of ques- 

 tions he put to Albert respecting the boats, showed 



