ETHNOLOiaOAL RESULTS OK TIIK I'OIM HAi!|{0\V 

 EXPEDITION. 



IN FROUUCTION. 



The Inteiiiatioiiiil l'ol;ir KxiM'ditidii to Point Harrow. Alaska, wan 

 organized in ISSl by the t'hief Si-nal Ollieer of the .\rniy, (or the i)iir- 

 pose of eooperatini;- in the work of eir(iini|>olar otiservation proposed 

 by the luternational I'ohir ('onfcicn.-c. Thr expedition, wiiich was 

 commanded by Lieut. 1>. II. Kay. lli-lith Infantry. 1'. S. Aiiny. sailed 

 from San Francisco July is, issi, and reached Cape Sniylii. II miles 

 .southwest of Point IJarrow. on September S df tlie same year. Here a 

 permanent station was established, where the parly remained until 

 August L'S. iss;i. wiien the station was abandoned, and Ilie paity sailed 

 for Sau Francisco, arrivin- there October 7. 



Though the main object of the expedition was tli.' lUdseeulion of the 

 observations in terrestrial maj^netisni and meteorolo.uy. il was possible 

 to obtain a huge collection of articles illustrating the arts and industries 

 of the Eskimo of the region, with whom the most friendly relations 

 were early established. Xearly all of the collecti(ui was made by barter, 

 the natives bringing their weajions, (dothing, and other objects to the 

 station for sale. Full inites on the habits ami customs of the Ivskimo 

 also wer<' (Mdlectcd by th.' ditterent ni.Mubers of the pally, especially 

 by the c.uninanding ollieer: the interpreter, ('apt. K. P. Ilerendeen: the 

 surgeon. Dr. (leorge Scott Oldmison, and myself, who sei\-ed as one of 

 the naturalists and observers of the expedition. It fell to my share 

 to take (diarge of and catalogue all the collections ,nad(^ by the expedi 

 tion,and therefore I had especially favorable op])ortunities for becondng 

 aequaintetl with the ethnography of the region. ('ons<M|ueiitly. upon 

 the return of the expedition, when it was found that I he eihnologieal 

 observations would occujiy too mu<-h space tor |iublicalion in Ihe ollicial 

 report,' all the collections and notes were intrust. 'd to me for Ihe purpose 

 of preparing a special repcut. The Smithsonian Institution, through 

 the kindness of the late Prof Spencer F. Baird, then se<-relary. furnished 



I Krvrirt 111' the InternatiuniU Volar ExpeiUtiou to I'oint Barrow, Alaska, by I.i.Mit. I". H. Ray, W:i«h 

 ingtoD, 1885. 



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