The Ammassalik Eskimo. 451 
does not necessarily indicate that the weapon is not a bird spear, vide, e. g. 
NELSON’s own illustration of bird spears (Plate LIX). 
In other words, the illustration is not one from which the nature of the 
weapon can be determined with certainty, even by one well acquainted with 
Eskimo weapons. 
p. 388. Here we touch upon my illustrations of the 16 specimens 
from the South-East Coast brought home prior to HoLw's arrival at 
Ammassalik. Hr. THOMSEN appears to have a particular affection for 
these articles, albeit their locality of origin in most cases cannot be more 
nearly decided than as from the neighbouring district south of Am- 
massalik, between Sermilik and Cape Farewell. Not having access to 
the Museum inventory lists, I was naturally unable to say more with 
regard to these objects than what could be learned from examination 
of the objects themselves. They belong in all essentials to the culture 
of Ammassalik, and may thus serve to illustrate the same. 
Hr. THOMSEN’s remarks anent my “fault” is im any case entirely 
beyond the mark, owing to the distinct bias which it reveals. His favo- 
rite statement as to these objects, that they “do not origmate from 
Angmagsalik at all, but from the West Coast” (p. 3885) is altogether 
futile, since these objects, like many more of East Greenland origin, 
have been brought to the West Coast by travellers from the eastern 
side. There is, indeed, nothing at all to preclude the supposition that 
part of them actually originated from Ammassalik itself, or the neigh- 
bouring fjords, as we know to have been the case with other old finds 
brought to Europe by the same route. Even Нотм’з Ammassalik col- 
lection reached us via the West Coast. 
The Authorities Quoted. 
р. 389—393. — What writer has, prior to myself, endeavoured 
to contribute to the study of Eskimo culture, from these early literary 
sources? If any there be, his name is assuredly not THOMSEN. 
After eight years spent in studying the ethnography of Greenland, 
and having all but completed my main work on the subject, I had to 
consider the question as to what conclusion should be drawn from my 
comparative investigation. If such a conclusion were to be of any im- 
portance, it must necessarily embrace certain historical features; the 
colonisation of South Greenland by the Norsemen in the Middle Ages, 
the immigration of the Eskimo and their coming in contact with the 
Norsemen; the early appearance of the Eskimo on both sides of 
Davis Straits, etc. When nearing the conclusion of my work, my atten- 
tion was called to a few old literary sources beyond those which I had 
previously consulted at our public libraries". Had I neglected to include 
such material as was to be found in these works of ancient date, such 
1 Vid. my book 1914 р. 739 note 2. 
29* 
