526 



THE GERMAN ARCTIC EXPEDITION. 



the old huts have entirely disappeared ? To take these 

 heavy stones from the hard earth was a troublesome task ; 

 and the only object worth their while would be for 

 making graves; but as there were none about here, 

 they could not enter into the question. The result of all 

 this in our minds was, that long before Clavering's visit 



RUINED ESQUIMAUX HUTS ON SABINE ISLAND. 



only a few huts, perhaps three or four, were inhabited ; 

 and that on this spot, at least, there could be no question 

 of the slow dying-out of a once numerous population. 



With improvised tools we then set to work on the 

 floors of the two newest huts which in Clavering's time 



