232 TOTAL ABSENCE OF RELICS. Chap. XIV. 



small native marks, usually of one stone standing upright 

 upon another, sometimes consisting of three stones, but very 

 rarely of a greater number. 



No trace of a cairn could be found. 



In examining, with pickaxe and shovel, a collection of 

 stones which appeared to be arranged artificially, we found 

 a quantity of seal's blubber buried beneath ; this old Esqui- 

 maux cache was near the S.E. point of the island. The 

 interior of the island and the principal islets adjacent were 

 also examined without success, nor was there the slightest 

 evidence of natives having been here during the winter : it 

 is not to be wondered at that we returned in the evening to 

 our tent somewhat dispirited. The total absence of natives 

 was a bitter disappointment ; circles of stones, indicating the 

 sites of their tenting places in summer, were common enough. 



Montreal Island is of primary rock, chiefly grey gneiss, 

 traversed with whitish vertical bands in a north and south 

 direction (by them I often directed my route when crossing 

 the island). It is of considerable elevation, and extremely 

 rugged. The low beaches and grassy hollows were covered 

 with a foot or two of hard snow, whilst all the level, elevated, 

 or exposed parts were swept perfectly bare ; had a cairn, or 

 even a grave, existed (raised as it must be, the earth being 

 frozen hard as rock), we must at once have seen it. If any 

 were ever constructed, they must have been levelled by the 

 natives; every doubtful appearance was examined with 

 the pickaxe. 



A remark made by my men struck me as being shrewd ; 

 they judged from the washed appearance of the rock upon 

 the east side of Montreal Island that it must often be 

 exposed to a considerable sea, such as would effectually 

 remove everything not placed far above its reach ; when 

 looking over the smooth and frozen expanse one is apt 

 to forget this. 



