236 ESKIMO TRADE ROUTES. 



skin of the wolverine is held in high esteem, and is, like the 

 English goods, procured from the Indians, occasionally directly, but 

 most commonly through their more eastern brethren at Barter 

 Point. The latter also supply narwhal-skins, large lamps or oil- 

 burners, made of stone, which form part of the furniture of every 

 hut. 



The great trading places are King-ing, at Cape Prince of Wales, 

 Se-en'-a-ling, at the mouth of the Nu-na-tak, Nig'-a-lek, at the 

 mouth of the Colville, within their own country ; and Nu-wu-ak, 

 at Point Barter, to the eastward, between all of which there is a 

 yearly communication. It might be expected that the Eussian ports 

 near Norton Sound would supply the Russian goods, but such is not 

 the case, as they are all, or nearly all, brought from the Kokh'-lit 

 Nuna, as they call Asia. They say four or five Asiatic boats cross 

 the Straits after midsummer, proceeding from East Cape to the 

 Diomede Islands, and thence to Cape Prince of Wales, where trade 

 is carried on with people belonging to the neighbourhood of Norton 

 Sound, Port Clarence, &c. The boats then proceed along the shore 

 of Kotzebue Sound until the high land, near Cape Krusenstern 

 comes into view, when they steer by it for Hotham Inlet, and 

 encamp at Se-su-a-ling. At this place, towards the latter end of 

 July, people from all the coast and rivers to a great distance meet, 

 and an extensive barter takes place among the Esquimaux them- 

 selves, as well as with the Asiatics, amid feasting, dancing, and 

 other enjoyments. A large proportion of the goods falls into the 

 hands of the people living on the Nu-na-tak, who carry it into the 

 interior, and either transfer it to others, or descend the Colville 

 with it themselves the following year, to meet their friends from 

 Point Barrow. At the Colville the same scene of barter and 

 amusement takes place in the latter part of July, and early in 

 August the goods are carried to Point Barter by the Point Barrow 

 traders, to be exchanged for the English and other produce of the 

 east. The Nu-na-tung'-meun, or Nu-na-tak people, thus become 

 the carriers of the Eussian kettles, knives, &c, to be found along 

 the north coast, and being known only by name to the inhabitants 

 east of the Colville as the people from whom these articles are pro- 

 cured, it is easy to perceive how Sir J. Franklin and Mr. Simpson 

 were led to conjecture that a Eussian port existed upon that river, 

 and that the agents residing there were called Nu-na-tang'-meun. 

 The word Nu-na-tak appears to signify " inland," from its being 

 commonly applied to persons coming from any part of the interior ; 

 but they do not use any corresponding word to comprehend the 

 different tribes on the coast. 



