122 H. P. STEENSBY. 
they can store away blubber for use in the autumn. Shortly before the 
ice breaks up they set out in sledges for the continent, where, in reindeer- 
skin tents, they spend July and the following months in salmon fishing in 
Coppermine River and other streams, and also im the hunting of reindeer 
as these, by degrees, become well nourished on the summer vegetation. 
When the sea is frozen over once more, and the reindeer have started for 
the south, the Eskimo return in the course of the winter to the Gulf, where 
they live in snow houses. Probably this move does not take place until 
the supplies are almost consumed. That HEARNE, on the coast of the 
continent, came across a couple of indubitable winter houses is in accordance 
with this. They were situated on the southern side of a hill, half under 
ground, and “above were closely set with poles, which met in a conical 
shape like the summer tents.” Round them lay quantities of bones, and also 
caldrons of “whitish grey stone.” 
At Dease Strait CorLınson found that the Eskimo migrations were 
dependent on those of the reindeer backwards and forwards across the 
strait. From May till October they lived on the south coast of Victoria 
Land, where, to a great extent, they occupied their time in fishing in the 
fresh waters. In the autumn when the reindeer gathered on the coast they 
hunted them in fences, and then followed them across the islands to the 
mainland. In a short report to the Royal Geographical Society in London 
COLLINSON expresses himself thus about the Eskimo (II, p. 200): “They be- 
long to the Central tribe of Esquimaux, wearing the same costume and 
speaking a similar dialect to the Igloolik and Boothia Isthmus people; and 
unlike the Greenland and Behring Str. tribes, who perform almost all their 
migrations by sea, these people travel over the land and ice with sleighs. 
Their journey to Victoria Land is performed previous to the breaking up of 
the ice in the summer, and having no oomiaks, and but one or two kayaks, 
their communication with the continent is cut off until the straits are bridged 
over by the frost; they then assemble between Cape Colborne and the 
Finlayson Islands, which is the great crossing-place for the reindeer, and, 
after they have obtained as many as possible, pick up their caches of fish 
and venison, and return to the continent for the winter.” 
It must be said about this wintering on the continent, however, that 
CoLLINSON had no opportunity to substantiate this point. In his description 
of his journey he acknowledges this himself, but thinks that he is able to 
conclude that they spent the winter not far distant from his own winter 
quarters on the north side of Dease Strait, without it being possible for 
him, however, to find their abiding place. The explanation simply is that 
they did not enter the mainland in order to remain there, as COLLINSON 
assumed, but that they at once, with the commencement of the winter, settled 
at the coasts of the gulf or on its islands, whence they had easy access to 
the ice for the purpose of seal hunting and whither they could easily 
transport their supplies of dried meat and fish from the continent. 
STEFANSSON’S description shows still more distinctly the aspect of the 
