SLEDGE-JOURNEYS ASHORE AND AFLOAT. 191 



had lain in each grave. The skulls were in a better state of 

 preservation than the other parts of the skeletons, of which some 

 important bones were missing. In what position the bodies had 

 been placed could no longer be ascertained, but from the shape of 

 the graves it is probable that they had lain stretched out. The 

 graves faced about south-west, and it may safely be inferred that 

 no ornaments, weapons, or other things had been buried with the 

 bodies. 



A little distance above one of the winter houses, in a sheltered 

 spot with comparatively luxuriant vegetation round it, was another 

 small hut. It measured one and a half to two feet in each direction, 

 and was arranged inside in the same manner as the other huts 

 we saw in Ellesmere Land. The sleeping benches usual in Eskimo 

 houses were still there, the place where the lamp had stood could 

 be traced, and on the floor were bits of charcoal and burnt bone. 

 The whole arrangement was so like a doll's house, and everything 

 was in such good preservation, that I involuntarily looked round 

 for the little inhabitants themselves. We also found very small 

 walled provision-rooms or larders, similar to those in which the 

 Eskimo store their catches to protect them from the sun and the 

 incursions of dogs. Even the four stone pillars were there on which 

 the ' Konebaad ' * is always raised to dry and be out of reach of 

 the dogs. Everything was in miniature. 



We walked along the shore, round the point, to the place where 

 Baumann had found the first Eskimo houses ; and this place we 

 also examined as thoroughly as possible, but without finding 

 anything of importance. Baumann had already brought back a few 

 small things from it. 



In a cleft of the rock close by was a grave covered with 

 a heap of stones. It was only about three feet long, so that the 

 body could not have lain extended in it. Baumann had already 

 taken a well-preserved skull from this grave. 



We also saw, near this place, a very remarkable construction 

 of which I could not make out the use. It was more like a tunnel 

 than anything else, and measured inside about fifteen feet in length, 



* Konebaad, literally 'woman-boat,' is the Danish equivalent for the Eskimo 

 umiuk, the native skin-boat, which is always maimed by women. 



