NELSON] SUMMER CAMPS RUINS 263 



Just north of Cape Lisburne three or four winter houses were seen, 

 but it could not be determined whether they were occupied. 



Near Icy cape were several summer camps of Point Barrow people. 

 They were living in conical lodges, many of which were covered M'ith 

 canvas taken from wrecked whaling vessels. In front of each camp 

 was erected a stout post from 12 to 20 feet high, notched on the sides 

 for convenience in climbing. Near the top was a crossbar, used as a 

 seat or perch. The coast in this part of the district is very flat and 

 low, and these posts are used as lookout points whence the people are 

 able to see the " blowing" of whales or the approach of ships. As we 

 passed by the shore each post was usually occupied by a man who 

 waved his shirt to induce us to stop. 



From here to Point Barrow were several similar summer camps of 

 from two to ten lodges each. At Point Barrow the winter houses were 

 of the ordinary half underground type with a long, tunnel-like entrance 

 way; scarcity of driftwood had necessitated the use of whale ribs and 

 jawbones in framing these houses. At this point the storehouses for 

 meat were built very nearly in the style of the winter houses, except 

 that the only entrance was by a trapdoor in the roof, so that they 

 were really half- underground cellars. 



Near the winter houses were i)latforms 6 to 8 feet above the ground, 

 on which were stored spears, nets, and various hunting and household 

 paraphernalia. At the time of our visit in August the inhabitants 

 were living in conical lodges. 



RUINS 



Euins of ancient Eskimo villages are common on the lower Yukon and 

 thence along the coast line to Point Barrow. On the Siberian shore 

 they were seen from East cape along the Arctic coast to Cape Wanka- 

 rem. Various circumstances prevented the recording of more than a 

 few superficial notes in regard to them, which are here inserted for the 

 purpose of bringing them to the attention of future workers in that 

 region. On the shore of the bay on the southern side of St Michael 

 island I dug into an old village site where saucer-shape pits indicated 

 the places formerly occupied by houses. The village had been burned, 

 as was evident from the numerous fragments of charred timbers mixed 

 with the soil. In the few cubic feet of earth turned up at this place 

 were found a slate fish knife, an ivory spearhead, a doll, and a toy dish, 

 the latter two cut from bark. The men I had with me from the village 

 at St Michael became so alarmed by their superstitious feelings that 

 I was obliged to give up the idea of getting further aid from them in 

 this place. I learned afterward that this village had been built by 

 people from Pastolik, at the mouth of the Yukon, Avho went there to 

 fish and to hunt seals before the Kussians came to the country. 



On the highest point of Whale island, which is a steep islet just off- 

 shore near the present village of St Michael, were the ruins of a 



