An Anthropogeographical Study of the Origin of the Eskimo Culture. 57 
correspond with that in which all the rest of the changes in the 
condition of culture took place. After having proved, then, how the 
Indians, and even certain tribes, play a réle in many Greenland 
legends, which he regards as being just as old as the migrations along 
the north coast of America, he apprehends this as proof of his theory 
regarding the migrations of the Eskimo. There is, however, much 
to be said against this view. The presence in Greenland of the 
legends in question can just as well be explained by their having 
strayed at a late date, and by verbal communication, from group to 
group. Nor is such immense age as Rink assumes, which has to be 
reckoned in centuries, compatible with tribes having such inferior 
social stability and differentiation. But, for the rest, it is a side of 
the question which lies apart from the present task, and, therefore, 
will not be discussed further. 
Here, on the other hand, it has to be stated that the well-known 
American ethnologist, F. Boas, like Rinx, has tried by the employ- 
ment of legends and linguistic material to determine the reciprocal 
connection and original travelling tracks of the Eskimo groups. Along 
these lines he follows up the intercourse between the individual: groups 
within the East and the West Eskimo. Thus, the Eskimo term for 
“white man’’ is the same with all the East Eskimo, and Boas thinks 
that he is able to connect the origin of this term with a legend which 
was generally disseminated before the Eskimo became acquainted with 
the Europeans. As regards the Eskimo migrations, he also assumes 
that the question could be solved by a complete study of the language 
and traditions. “From the facts already known we arrive at the 
conclusion that the more ancient forms of customs and traditions are 
found west of Baffin Bay. In this way we are led to conclude further 
that the Eskimo migrated by way of Baffin Land to Greenland and 
Labrador. The natives of Labrador and of the south coast of Baffin 
' Land believe that the events told in their traditions occurred in the 
far north. Those of Fury and Hecla Strait point south and south- 
west to the American continent. The Western Eskimo refer to the 
east as the place where their heroes performed their exploits. Therefore, 
it seems probable that the lake region west of Hudson Bay was the 
home of the Eskimo. We find their remains in the most northern 
parts of the Smith Sound region. At the present time the East Green- 
landers and the West Greenlanders are very different from each other. 
Therefore the probability is that the immigrants separated in Smith 
Sound, and that one part went south while the other turned north-east, 
and thus reached the east coast. A decision of these questions must 
be postponed until the ethnology of the Eskimo is more thoroughly 
studied.” Yet it is interesting to note that Boas here indicates quite 
1 Boas, III. 
