May, 1859. 



NATIVE HUTS. 



225 



we could not find the island, but found a very small islet 

 near it, off which was another snow village very recently 

 abandoned, the sledge tracks plainly showing that the 

 inhabitants had gone to the E.N.E., which is straight for 

 Neitchillee. It was now evident that these places of winter 

 resort were deserted, and that here at least we should not 

 find any natives ; I was the more sorry at having missed 

 them, as, from the quantity of wood-chips about the huts, 

 they probably had visited the stranded ship alluded to by 

 the last Esquimaux we had met, and the route to which lies 

 up an inlet visible from here, and then overland three or 

 four days' journey to the westward, until the opposite coast 

 of King William's Land is reached. 



The largest huts measured 12 feet in diameter, by 6 or 7 

 feet high ; most of them were constructed in pairs, having a 

 passage 20 or 25 feet long, which served as the common 

 entrance ; at the place where this passage divided into two 

 branches, there was a small hut, which served as a sort of 

 antechamber for the reception of such articles as were 

 intended to remain frozen. 



Sledge under Sail. 



