Implements and Artefacts of the North-east Greenlanders. 417 



very suitable for that purpose, and in the sledge which we are dis- 

 cussing, as in the Polar-Greenland sledge, the runners project well 

 beyond the seat, and therefore furnish space for supports of this 

 nature. ^ In the Nathorst sledge, on the other hand, the runners 

 are less projecting. 



Similar variations may be noticed as regards the fastening of 

 the cross-bars to the runners. The specimens collected by the Dan- 

 mark Expedition (PI. XVI, 5 and 6) show that the lashing, as in both 

 the western types, has been carried across the cross-bar along its 

 entire breadth, while those found previously have holes through 

 which it was carried dow^n as in the Angmagsalik sledge; also the 

 number and grouping of the holes differ in the different specimens. 



Similar uncertainty prevails concerning the number of the holes 

 in the runners which correspond to each cross-bar. In the majority 

 of the specimens there appear to have been two holes for each 

 cross-bar; in the Amdrup sledge there is one only. But in the case 

 of a toy, details should not be taken too seriously, and the difference 

 is not essential in itself, dependent as it evidently is on the breadth 

 of the cross-bar. 



Judging from the scanty material we have before us, it may 

 be stated in general terms that the North-east Greenland sledge is 

 in the main of West Greenland type, only with some slight alter- 

 ations of minor importance; it is a large and spacious travelling 

 sledge, quite different from the small, narrow, Angmagsalik sledge. 

 There is hardly any reason to doubt that it has had uprights; thus, 

 I should prefer to believe that the irregularly placed penultimate 

 holes in the Amdrup toy sledge had served to fasten the uprights. 



Of appliances for harnessing, the collection of the Dan- 

 mark Expedition contains only three bone buckles used to con- 

 nect the harness of each individual dog with the common trace pro- 

 ceeding from the sledge. They are of the usual shape, flattened pyri- 

 form (PI. XIII, 11 and 12), and furnished with two holes, one larger, 

 in the broad, hinder part, through which the trace proceeding from 

 the sledge is carried, and one smaller, in the front part for the dog's 

 trace. From this hole a groove extends on both faces down to the 

 fore part of the buckle, and serves to receive the line and prevent 

 it from slipping. The fact that the buckle figured in Fig. 24 differs 

 in form at the rear end is of no importance as regards the present 

 use of the object as a toggle, but indicates that it is made of a dis- 

 carded loose shaft of a harpoon or lance. 



' This suf{gestion is supported Ьл' Birket Smith fl, p. 16). 



