Intellectual Character of the Esquimauzx. 323 
the Loucheux, and Hare Indians, and that along the whole 
line of coast from the Mackenzie River to the Russian settle- 
ments in North Western America, furs on the one side, and 
European manufactures on the other, are annually exchanged 
at regularly established fairs ; and thus pass from tribe to tribe, 
until, about the close of summer, they reach their respective 
limits. 
Of the Esquimaux of the west coast of Greenland, Crantz ob- 
serves, “that amongst themselves they hold a kind of fair. 
The Winter Festival of the Sun is frequented by persons who 
expose their wares to view, and make known what commodities 
they want in exchange. Any one disposed to purchase, brings 
the goods in request, and the bargain is complete. The prin- 
cipal trade is in vessels of Weichsteen, which is not to be met 
with in every place. And since the Southlanders have no whales, 
while the inhabitants of the north coast are in want of wood, 
numerous companies of Greenlanders make every summer a 
voyage of from five hundred to one thousand miles to the north, 
and even from the east coast to Disko, in new Caiaks, and 
Oomiaks, They barter their lading of wood for the horns 
of the narwhale, the teeth, bones, and sinews of the whale, 
which they, in part, sell again during their return homewards. 
To the factors, the Greenlanders carry fox and seal skins, but 
particularly blubber.”* 
Captain Graah, in describing the island of Attuk, remarks, 
that “an annual fair is held by the EKastlanders and West- 
landers of Fredericsthal, who go there in the summer for 
the purpose of catching seals of the Cristata species.t The 
articles of barter are bear, seal, and dog skins for articles of 
European manufacture, and especially for spear and arrow 
heads, knives, needles, handkerchiefs, and tobacco.”’{ I have 
also stated, that the Esquimaux of Churchill in Hudson’s Bay, 
and of the Great Fish River, meet annually near the head 
waters of the latter, for the purpose of trading among them- 
selves, and with the Chipewyans. 
* Crantz’s History of Greenland, pp. 160 and 161. 
+ Narrative of an expedition to the east coast of Greenland, by Captain 
W. A. Graah, p. 66. { Idem. p. 81. 
