14 CONQUERING THE ARCTIC ICE 



existence of a tract of land to the north of Alaska which prevented 

 the ice from drifting away, and would to a certain extent explain 

 why it would always be found close to the coast of Alaska. 



The fact that large flocks of ducks and geese were reported to 

 fly northwards from Point Barrow for the breeding season gave 

 further strength to the theories of existing land, and this was 



also corroborated by Eskimo legends. 

 The people of Point Barrow told of 

 a man who had walked across the 

 ice and had returned some time 

 later with accounts of a wonderful 

 land far away to the north, inhabited 

 by Eskimos who spoke his own 

 language. Other Eskimos have been 

 drifted away on the ice, and they are 

 mostly thought to have found their 

 way to the unknown land, while 

 others again claim to have seen it ; 

 so that these people have no. doubt 

 concerning the existence of land to 

 the north of them. 



Writers like Serah Osborn and Sir 

 Clements Markham wrote articles in 

 scientific journals, supporting the 

 theory that the people who once had 

 inhabited the inhospitable shores of 

 Lancaster Sound and the straits 

 between the numerous islands of 

 the Parry Archipelago to the south 

 had come from Siberia and had travelled over stretches 

 of land as yet unknown, and thus had reached the west 

 end of Lancaster Sound. Then, to better their condition, 

 they commenced travelling southwards along the straits, 

 and, spreading out east and west along the shores of the 

 mainland, met with a vigorous opposition whenever they 

 came in contact with other people. This theory is based 

 on the fact that it would be unnatural for a tribe inhabit- 

 ing this part of the world to emigrate to the north, as 

 their motive for moving could only be to improve their 

 condition of life, and every Eskimo w'ould know improvement 



MAX FIEDLER. 



