GREENLAND BY THE POLAR SEA 



rounded hills of light granite, with moss and grass peeping out 

 wherever the snow is blown away. Along the coast tall, elegant, 

 and proud sandstone mountains stand on both sides of the bay, 

 like a majestic porch leading to the little cove where the 

 Eskimos have built a camp. The coast mountains, especially 

 at sunset, are tinged with red, which contrasts beautifully with 

 the greyish-white gneiss in the sheltered cove from which an 

 even and uniform high plateau stretches like a large plain right 

 up to the inland-ice. 



MAJAQ'S MEAT-PITS 



We were all curious to know how far Majaq would be able 

 to keep his promise. He had spoken about masses of meat, 

 but the Eskimo's idea of masses is often quite relative. As 

 soon as we had made camp and tethered the dogs, I went with 

 Majaq up to the little headland where his depot was supposed 

 to be. With justifiable pride he pointed out over the plain 

 and said : " All the meat which lies here is now yours; may 

 your dogs grow strong on my catch." 



I saw at once that the man had not exaggerated ; on the 

 contrary, it would be difficult for us to use all he had offered. 

 Here were seals and meat in abundance. While the tents of 

 the expedition were pitched and snow-houses were being built, 

 we pushed the huge stones away from the meat-pits to get at 

 the seals. Thirty-five large, fat seals we took, and four delici- 

 ous bearded seals. 



This represented such a large addition to the meat we already 

 had that we decided to rest for a day for the express purpose of 

 allowing the dogs to eat as much meat as they could possibly 

 get down. We spent this holiday, which abundance of meat 

 allowed us to take, in studying the historical place whereto 

 Majaq's meat-pits had led us. 



Majaq is one of the best hunters of the tribe, and is to be 

 counted among those who are not fain to leave the neighbour- 

 hood of Cape York, where the bear-hunts in Melville Bay 

 tempt one to remain. But last year he had promised his wife 

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