FROM THULE TO HUMBOLDT'S GLACIER 



abundance of gnawed seal bones. Many meat-pits of the usual 

 form were built about the houses. 



I was somewhat surprised to find no bones of reindeer ; for 

 this peaceful expanse between the ocean and the inland-ice has, 

 at any rate during an earlier period, given the necessary con- 

 ditions of life for many reindeer. The reason may, of course, 

 be that this place was uninhabited at the time when the Eskimos 

 hunted reindeer. Strange as it may seem, the reindeer has 

 been looked upon by the present tribe as an unclean animal 

 not to be eaten. It was only after 1864, when the immigrants 

 from Baffin's Bay brought new customs to the country, that 

 one learned to consider the reindeer as a meat giver ; since then 

 it has been hunted with such thoroughness that it is almost 

 extinct. The hunting conditions of Renslaer Harbour are 

 briefly as follows : 



Every spring many seals and bearded seals are caught by the 

 Utut method on the ice ; one can engage in Utut-hunting here 

 practically all through the summer, as the ice generally remains 

 on the water in the bays. Not until the middle of August does 

 the melted water above the ice become so deep as to make this 

 method of hunting impossible. Of late years the ice has not 

 broken along the land, although very broad fissures have 

 appeared round the headlands. Occasionally, however, walrus 

 will be found in these clefts. Many hares are to be found 

 inland, and occasionally reindeer. 



In the afternoon as soon as our work about the meat-pits 

 was finished and the bearded seals and seals cut up into pieces 

 of convenient size for the requirements of our journey, we had 

 a party. We could not help rejoicing because of the great 

 abundance which Majaq's meat depots had suddenly added to 

 our possessions. 



The feast began with the production of a cinema film, which 

 was a great success for all the actors. It was played near 

 Majaq's hut, and even some of the largest and best of our dogs 

 were allowed to take part in the play. The action of the play 

 was as simple as possible, as it merely pictured the arrival of a 

 lot of visitors to Majaq, who, with smiles and large gestures of 



51 



