EUINS OF HUTS AND TENTS. 527 



were inliabited. We soon found that the roofs had sunk 

 to the ground. That was shown by a strong lath 

 hanging slanting from the wall on the inside, so that 

 the earth and the growing plants we had removed was 

 not really the floor, but had once formed the roof. We 

 dug deeper in the earth, but found nothing. Here, too, 

 large bones had been let into the walls, and in a large 

 side-niche lay the perfect skull of a young narwhal ; in 

 the second hut, still less than this was found. So 

 thinking we had done our duty, and judging by the 

 height of the water that it must be near midnight, and 

 rain and fog seeming to increase, we prepared to return. 

 We took the same route back, only sorry that we had 

 not seen this interesting spot in clearer weather. 



At the large stream we came upon some reindeer, two 

 stately old ones and one young one. With curious looks 

 they advanced fearlessly to within ten paces of us. 

 Completely wet through we hurried on, the strong el^b 

 reminding us of the past night's adventure in the boat, 

 and showing us that it was about three o'clock. 



Living in this continuous, almost uniform daylight, 

 unfettered by any regular partition of daily work, simply 

 following up one object, has a strange effect upon one ; 

 something can certainly be accomplished by its means, 

 but to go on for long in such a life, even if one's health 

 kept good, would be impossible. 



After breakfast we lay down to rest, but as the rain 

 had left off we preferred the dry grass to the tent. 

 Upon awaking, we went to inspect the neighbouring 

 graves. We opened them all, and were rewarded by find- 

 ing a number of fine skulls and other bones. Interesting 

 to us was a small figure carved out of wood lying in a 



