TRACES OF ESQUIMAUX. 385 



tended both to the north and the south ; and that, 

 finally, the tribe now inhabiting the coast from Cape 

 York to Smith Sound were cut off bv the accumula- 

 tion of ice as well above as below them ; and he be- 

 lieved that Esquimaux were living at this present 

 time in both directions. That there was once no break 

 in the communication between the natives of the re- 

 gion about Upernavik, along the shores of Melville 

 Bay, there can be no doubt ; and Kalutunah appeared 

 to think that the same would hold good in the oppo- 

 site direction. The ice has accumulated in Smith 

 Sound as it has in Melville Bay ; and what were evi- 

 dently once prosperous hunting-grounds, up to the 

 very face of Humboldt Glacier, are now barren wastes, 

 where living thing rarely comes. At various places 

 along the coast Dr. Kane found the remains of an- 

 cient huts ; and lower down the coast, toward the 

 mouth of the Sound, there are many of more recent 

 date. Near Cairn Point there is a hut which had been 

 abandoned but a year before Dr. Kane's visit, in 1853, 

 and has not been occupied since. In Van Rensse- 

 laer Harbor there were several huts which had been 

 inhabited by the last generation. 



The simple discovery of traces of Esquimaux on the 

 coast of Grinnell Land was not altogether satisfactory 

 to Kalutunah, for he had confidently expected that 1 

 would find and bring back with me some living speci- 

 mens of them ; but he was still gratified to have his 

 traditions confirmed, and he declared that I did not 

 go far enough or I should have found plenty of na- 

 tives ; for, said he, in effect, " There are good hunting- 

 grounds at the north, plenty of musk-ox (oomemak), 

 and wherever there are good hunting-grounds, there 

 the Esquimaux will be found." 



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