466 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 19 3 5 



needed for such a passage but that had the same existed man would 

 not have used it ; he would have followed the much easier route over 

 the water. 



The next major point that looms up conclusively is that the coming 

 of man over from Asia to America could never have been in the 

 nature of a single or large migration. Rude and barren as is the 

 American territory nearest Asia, that on the Asiatic side is even 

 ruder and colder and stormier, and as such it could never have accom- 

 modated any large population. There could have been, therefore, 

 but a few people passing over at any time. These might have in- 

 fluenced the rest of their clan or group, but after that an interval 

 would necessarily elapse before a new lot would reach the northeast- 

 ernmost parts of Asia, from which it in turn could come to America. 

 There could, therefore, never have been any large or continued 

 migration into America, but only relatively small and interrupted 

 dribblings over, but dribblings that went on over several millennia. 



Such parties as came must have been parties of people well ac- 

 quainted with and provided for coastal navigation, for their move- 

 ments as well as their main livelihood in Asia depended on such 

 navigation. They doubtless had small individual, as well as large, 

 or group, skin boats, the latter probably with a skin sail,^ in which 

 they could readily cross over. All this is shown by the inhabitants 

 of the same region today, who in their sldn boats cross over the strait 

 whenever they need to without much difficulty; only now they have 

 to return, for the American side is already peopled. 



The further problem was as to the movements of the newcomers 

 after they reached the American side. 



To one viewing the map of western Alaska it would seem most 

 natural that people coming from Asia would soon reach the delta of 

 the Yukon, through this funnel pass into the interior, and from there 

 to Canada, southern Alaska, and the rest of America. The actual 

 examination of the Yukon, which is, indeed, a great artery, does not 

 sustain this view. The river is 2,700 miles long. It has a swift cur- 

 rent, its waters are often rough, and both it and its tributaries ascend 

 toward very rugged, icy mountains, besides which its valley is so 

 plagued during the summer with mosquitoes, gnats, and horseflies 

 that all larger game leaves for the highlands. It was not impassable, 

 and had doubtless been tried again and again, but that the peopling of 

 America proceeded through its trough is neither probable nor sup- 

 ported by any evidence thus far discovered. 



It appears much more likely that such moderate groups of fisher- 

 men and sea hunters as reached America, finding no one in the way, 



^ One such native " umiak-pak " (large boat) with a square sail made of seal skin was 

 seen by the writer near the Bering Strait as late as 1926. 



