1915] TO RENSSELAER HARBOR 161 



Bay. Anoritok, as well as Etah, has often been reported 

 to be the most northern settlement of the Smith Sound 

 tribe. In times past, however, Eskimos have inhabited 

 the whole stretch of coast-line from Etah to the Hum- 

 boldt Glacier, as shown by the large number of old igloos 

 we found upon this coast during our four years' work. 

 But the Eskimos had not attempted a settlement be- 

 yond Anoritok for a great many years until this party 

 proceeded up the coast to try their fortunes where some 

 of their ancestors had lived. They were certain of 

 plenty of caribou meat and skins, but not so sure of 

 the much-needed walrus meat for their dogs, of the skin 

 of the bearded seal for their boot soles, and that of the 

 ringed seal for their coats and boots. Their fortunes 

 during the subsequent months at this far northern spot 

 answered the question as to why this coast had been 

 deserted years ago by the natives. They returned to 

 our house in the spring, poorly clothed and literally 

 starving. 



When he left Etah for the long spring trip, Ekblaw 

 intended to proceed over the top of Ellesmere Land, 

 north through Eureka Sound, east through the Greely 

 Fiord, and thence to the Lake Hazen region and old 

 Fort Conger headquarters of the Greely Expedition, 

 returning home by way of Kennedy Channel, Peabody 

 Bay, and Smith Sound. Before his departure I had as- 

 sured him of a supporting party to aid him on the re- 

 turn trip; not that he would need food, for he would 

 pass through one of the best game countries in the 

 world, but he might possibly require fresh dogs for the 

 last lap of a long journey, as we did in 1914. Doctor 

 Tanquary was to be in charge of this work, proceeding 

 northward to Fort Conger through the Kane Basin and 



