ESKIMOS 137 



bodied men, and the total population does not exceed 120 

 persons. 



The natives of Cumberland gulf congregate about the whal- 

 ing stations of Kekerten and Blacklead, where they are 

 employed for a large part of the year by the whalers. According 

 to the Rev. Mr. Peck, who has now resided several years among 

 them, the total population numbers about 380 souls. 



The natives living on the north side of Hudson strait are not 

 numerous, and are split up into three tribes. The Sikosiling- 

 miut live in the inland region of King Charles cape, at the 

 eastern entrance to Fox channel. A number of families from 

 this tribe crossed a few years ago to Nottingham island, and are 

 living there now, having been visited in 1901, when they were 

 found to be without firearms, and were killing deer by chasing 

 them with dogs and shooting them with bow and arrow. 



The Akolingmiut tribe reside in the neighbourhood of Big 

 island, in the central part of the north shore of Hudson strait. 

 These are among the oldest known Eskimos and came in contact 

 with the earliest white explorers of Hudson bay. Old writers 

 mention their filthy habits, and the present generation appears 

 to keep up the reputation of their ancestors, as being the most 

 degraded of all the tribes. For a number of years the American 

 whalers had a station on the coast, at Spicer harbour, some 

 miles to the westward of Big island, but it has long been 

 abandoned. At present the Scotch whaling steamer Active 

 enters the bay annually, and on arriving at Big island takes 

 on board the entire tribe, after which the ship proceeds to 

 the whaling and walrus grounds of Fox channel and Roes Wel- 

 come, where the men are employed in the chase of these animals. 

 A few years ago the firm to which the Active belongs established 

 a station on the south side of Southampton, and imported a 

 number of the Big island natives. These natives, being provided 

 with modern rifles, soon killed off or frightened away the deer 



in the neighbourhood. The old inhabitants of the island 

 18ft 



