nelson] 



VILLAGES ON ST LAWRENCE ISLAND 



259 



cutter Goricin^ and found the tundra surrounding the village sites cov- 

 ered with corpses of the inhabitants; and dozens of them were still 

 lying where they had died in the houses. 



In two villages at the southwestern end of the island were several 

 summer houses of walrus skin, like those used at Plover bay, and 

 various winter houses. These latter, were framed with the jawbones 

 and ribs of whales, which were planted in the ground, arching in at the 

 top, forming an oval framework supporting the roof. The latter was 

 made of similar bones with a little driftwood added, and the entire 

 structure was covered with earth. Owing to the scarcity of material 

 these houses were small and rude, but were very similar to buildings 

 on the northern shore of Norton sound. 



Close by the winter houses were elevated storehouses, upheld on four 

 jawbones of whales planted upright in the ground. Most of the 

 summer houses were framed of long strips of bone sawed lengthwise 

 from whales' jaws, with, one end ^laruted in the ground and the other 

 bent over toward a stout jawbone of a whale standing upright in the 

 ground, on one side of the oval area inclosed 

 by the bone strii)s. Alternating with these 

 strips were whale ribs, which also curved 

 over toward the upright post. The frame 

 pieces were planted very shallowly in the 

 ground and were held steady by a rock 

 weighing over 100 pounds, which was hung 

 from the i)ost-like jawbone which formed 

 the main strength of the structure. An 

 idea of these frames is given by the accom- 

 panying sketch (figure 86). 



The interior of these summer houses 

 measured about 20 feet in diameter, and were supplied with pologs 

 made of reindeer skins sewed together and suspended from the roof, 

 as is done on the Siberian coast. Exteriorly they were covered with 

 walrus skins, which were lashed on and held in j)lace by heavy weights 

 of stone, driftwood, and bones, to prevent their being toppled over by 

 the frequent gales. 



In a large village on the northern shore of the island, where all the 

 inhabitants had perished, I found many similar summer houses, also 

 some partly subterranean winter houses, differing from any others seen 

 in this region. They were roofed with whalebones and driftwood, over 

 which was the usual layer of earth. Over the outer end of the passage- 

 way was a roofed, stockaded shelter made of driftwood, with one side 

 or a part of one side left open, facing away from the direction of the 

 prevailing wind. These shelters were from 5 to 8 feet across and about 

 5 or 6 feet high. In the floor opened a square hole, giving access to the 

 passageway, which was 2 or 3 feet high and from 50 to 75 feet in length 

 and built wholly underground. In several instances they were curved 



Fig. 80 — House frame of trliale ribs 

 and jawbone. 



