DISCOVERIES. 543 



hole, sliowing tliat there must have been some sort of a 

 fastening, The boards were put together by small 

 wooden nails or pegs. 



"Without doubt, of all the things we had discovered, this 

 box showed the most artistic workmanship ; and taking 

 into consideration the little use such an implement would 

 be in an Esquimaux household, and the peculiar spot on 

 which it was found, the supposition that it must in some 

 way be connected with the religious worship of the 

 natives seems justified. 



Close by among the rocks, Dr. Copeland found a well- 

 preserved piece of a stone vessel, which the Esquimaux 

 hang over their lamps ; it seemed to have been rounded 

 off at the edges, was long and four-cornered and about 

 three inches and three-quarters thick ; it was of opaque 

 stone and carefully worked. The underneath part and 

 sides were covered with a coating of soot. 



From all this we gathered that the island had been 

 visited by the natives several times, but that they had 

 made no long stay, possibly because the neighbourhood 

 was not favourable to the musk-ox and other animals. 



During the night large masses of land-ice were loosened, 

 which set with great speed eastward, so that towards the 

 morning of the 2nd of August we could see from the 

 neighbouring mountain of 800 feet high that southward to 

 Cape Broer Euys and beyond there was much open water. 

 Lieut. Payer suggested exploring Gael Hamkes Bay ; but 

 upon consideration Captain Koldewey thought it better to 

 go further south, and if possible penetrate into one of the 

 larger sounds, either Scoresby's Sound, or Davy Sound, 

 as Scoresby reported that they stretched far inland. 



The weather remained fine and bright, with light sou'- 



