ESQUIMAUX MARKS. 841 



it to be a heap of stones, possibly placed there 

 by the Esquimaux. And this was the more 

 probable, as on arriving opposite to another 

 wide tributary, called, after his Majesty's Consul 

 at New York, Buchanan's River, a great number 

 of marks were seen distributed at particular 

 points, and on commanding eminences along 

 the banks, apparently for the purpose of either 

 frightening the deer, which were plentiful as 

 usual, into a particular course, or as places of 

 ambush when in quest of them. The latter I 

 think the more likely ; because at certain distances 

 along: the line of marks there were semicircular 

 skreens built of stones, having the high part, of 

 from two to three feet, towards the open country, 

 and the sloped or exposed side facing the river, 

 under the banks of which the hunters would be 

 effectually hid in passing to their lurking sta- 

 tions ; while even if the deer were not only in 

 front of the marks, but also between them and 

 the water's edge, they might still be useful as a 

 cover, and a communication might be kept up 

 by crawling from one to another. 



The breadth of the river now varied from a 

 quarter to a mile and half; and, what exceedingly 

 delighted me, it made a bend to the north. The 

 country became decidedly hilly, with an odd 

 mixture of ravines, conical sand-hills with black 

 mossy tops, and isolated rocks, which rose like 



z 3 



