An Anthropogeographical Study of the Origin of the Eskimo Culture. 125 
with a flat coast, which, with the exception of limestone promontories such as 
Cape Bathurst and Cape Dalhousie, consist of alluvial formations. The factor 
which, from a geographical point of view, characterizes this territory is the 
disemboguement of that gigantic stream the Mackenzie River. It is not only 
the deposit of the river, which has built up the coast and the considerable 
delta which in the whole of its extent southwards is visited by the Eskimo 
during the summer, but it is also the warm water supplied by the river which 
makes possible the habitation of the sea-coast. And the quantity of drift-wood 
which the river carries by reason of the huge strength of its current and its 
continuous flow through the woodlands, inasmuch as the limit of the woodlands 
is not reached until the beginning of its delta, enables the Eskimo here, when 
building their winter houses, to have as abundant an allowance of wood as 
have the inhabitants of the woodlands. As long as the expeditions were on 
this stretch of coast they were not inconvenienced by lack of fuel. 
The most important effect of the river water is that the pack-ice is kept 
at a greater distance from land than one would otherwise expect to find it, and 
that here during the summer a large open basin is formed, which towards the 
west through a narrow channel along the coast of Alaska is connected with the 
open sea round Bering Strait. FranKiLin on July 9, 1826, found open water 
as far as 69° N.lat., and ascertained from the Eskimo that with a land breeze 
the ice would go still further out to sea, and remain there “until the stars again 
showed themselves.” 
According to FRaNKLIN’s and RicHarpson’s observations and information 
from the Eskimo, the White Whale is the whale which first appears. The 
Black Whales are not seen until the end of July, when the ocean has become 
as open as it possibly can. Ricuarpson learnt from the Eskimo, that besides 
White Whale as also large and small seals (Bearded Seal and Ringed Seal) Nar- 
whals were found, and also a kind of Black Whale. Walruses were not known, 
as a rule they do not go east of Point Barrow. By the Black Whale species 
must be understood the Bowhead which every summer passes Point Barrow 
on its way to the sea off the Mackenzie, whence it is then followed by the whale 
hunters. Prtrrér distinguishes between “la baleine” and “le marsouin.” The 
first mentioned is hunted from a umiak whereas the last mentioned is hunted 
from kayaks. About whale hunting from umiak RicHarpson reports that it 
is carried on jointly. There is every reason then to believe that the hunting of 
large whales is carried on at the Mackenzie under similar forms as west of Point 
Barrow, whence more detailed accounts are to hand. 
By Perrrét’s “porpoise” must be understood the White Whale, which animal 
plays a prominent réle to the Mackenzie Eskimo. MAcKENzIE saw a great number 
of White Whales in the mouth of the river, and from his guide got the information 
that this was the animal on which the Eskimo principally lived. By this it is 
not by any means asserted that smaller dolphin-species should be entirely absent; 
but probably it is as in Greenland, where these animals are difficult to hunt, 
and without any practical importance to mankind. On the other hand, the White 
Whale gives a splendid bag; it seems as if, which Prrrorr likewise reports from 
