322 Eskifnos, their Geographical Distribution and Origin, 



Should you deem this communication worthy of a place in 

 your journal, I shall consider myself honoured by its insertion. 

 — I am, Sir, your obedient servant, 



H. M. DE LA CONDAMINE. 

 Prof. Jameson. 



Eskimos, their Geographical Distribution,' - ' 



The Eskimos are essentially a littoral people, and inhabit 

 nearly five thousand miles of sea-board, from the Straits of 

 Belleisle to the Peninsula of Alaska ; not taking into the 

 measurement the various indentations of the coast-line, nor 

 including West and East Greenland, in vt^hich latter locality 

 they make their nearest approach to the western coasts of 

 the Old World. Throughout the great linear range here in- 

 dicated, there is no material change in their language, nor 

 any variation beyond what would be esteemed in England 

 a mere provincialism. Albert, who was born on the East 

 Main, or western shores of James' Bay, had no great difficulty 

 in understanding and making himself understood by the 

 Eskimos of the estuary of the Mackenzie, though by the 

 nearest coast-line the distance between the two localities is 

 at least two thousand five hundred miles. Traces of their 

 encampments have been discovered as far north in the New 

 World as Europeans have hitherto penetrated ; and their 

 capability of inhabiting these hyperborean regions is essen- 

 tially owing to their consuming blubber for food and fuel, and 

 their invention of the use of ice and snow as building mate- 

 rials. Though they employ drift-timber when it is available, 

 they can do without it, and can supply its place in the for- 

 mation of their weapons, sledges, and boat-frames, wholly by 

 the teeth and bones of whales, morses, and other sea-animals. 

 The habit of associating in numbers for the chase of the 

 whale has sown among them the elements of civilization ; 

 and such of them as have been taken into the company's 

 service at the fur-posts fall readily into the ways of their 

 white associates, and are more industrious, handy, and in- 

 telligent, than the Indians. The few interpreters of the 



