418 THE CENTRAL ESKIMO. 



a strong current, which often breaks uj] tlie ice of Field and Grinnell 

 Bay (the bays of Ukadliq and Nugumiut), sets along the coast. 



The floe seldom extends to Lady Franklin and Monumental Islands 

 (Kitigtung and Tavtfolidjuin), but usually runs from point to point, 

 compelling the natives to pass across the land in order to reach the 

 floe of the neighboring bay. Most of the time the edge of the floe 

 covering Frobisher Bay extends to a line from Countess of Warwick 

 Sound (Tuarpukdjuaq) to about fifteen miles southeast of Gabriel 

 Island (Qeqertuqdjuaq), whence it runs south to Kingnait. Some- 

 times Aqbirsiarbing (Cape True) is the most eastern point inclosed 

 by the ice. A daiigcnms currcut sets througli Hie strait between 

 Eesolution Island ('l'iiilj;ii|(l.|u:i(|) and tlir inainlaiKl. formiiig whirl- 

 pools which menace cmtv sliip tliat attnupts the passage. 



Hudson Strait never freezes over. The greater part of the year it 

 is filled with an immense pack which never consolidates into a con- 

 tinuous floe. As there are no large bays along the northern shore of 

 that strait, no land floes of great importance az"e formed. Only the 

 Bay of Qaumaiiang, North Bay, and Behm Bay (the bay of Quaiir- 

 nang and that east of Akuliaq) are covered with floes which are of 

 importance to the natives. The bays east of Akuliaq and 'the large 

 fjords of that region form a comparatively large body of ice. 



Probably no land ice is formed between King Cape ^Ni;vukdjiiaq) 

 and the northern parts of Fox Basin. According to Parry and the 

 rejjorts of the natives, Fury and Hecla Strait and the bay which 

 forms its eastern outlet are covered by land ice which is connected 

 with the floe of the bays of Fox Basin as far as Piling. 



In Hudson Bay there are very few places in which the land ice 

 extends to a considerable distance from the shore. Neither Frozen 

 Strait nor Rowe's Welcome freezes over, each being kept open by 

 the swiftly running tides. The most extensive floes are formed in 

 Repulse Bay, Wager Bay, and Chesterfield Inlet. 



The drifting ice of the Gulf of Boothia never consolidates and 

 even Committee Bay is rarely covered by a smooth land floe? Pelly 

 Bay and ilic sea on "tlic east c(,a,st of Bunthia as far as Victoria Har- 

 bor (Tikeia(|(ljiii|) \'vi'i'7A' over, since tliey are sheltered by numerous 

 islands. Still larger is the sheet of ice wliicli covers the bay formed 

 by the estuary of Back River, King William Land, and Boothia. 

 The western shore of this peninsitla farther north is skirted by a 

 border of land ice the extent of which is unknown. 



It is a remarkable fact that, although the extreme western and 

 eastern parts of the country abound with extensive floes, the Hudson 

 Bay region and the Gulf of Boothia are almost devoid of them. 



This brief sketch will enable one to understand the geographical 

 distribution and the migrations of the Eskimo tribes who inhabit 

 this country. 



