426 THE CENTRAL ESKIMO. 



sound. In Decembn-. iss:!. tli.> Talii'pingmiut numbered 8G indi- 

 viduals, the Qinguaiiiiiit dd. the Kiii--naitmiut S--2, the Saumingmiut 

 17; total, 245. Thcsr -wci-c distrihuted in eight settlements. Begin- 

 ning with the most southern settlement, the Talirpingmiut lived in 

 Umanaqtuaq, Idjorituaqtuin, Nuvujen, and Qarussuit; the Qingua- 

 miut, in Imigen and Anarnitimg; the Kingnaitmiut, in Qeqerten; the 

 Saumingmiut, in Ukiadliving. Accordingly the population of the 

 settlements numbered as follows: 



I have included in the foregoing table the inhabitants of Davis 

 Strait and may add that the Nugumiut number abovit80,the Eskimo 

 of Pond Bay about 50 ( ?), those of Admiralty Inlet 200, and of Iglulik 

 about 150. The total niimber of inhabitants of Baffin Land thus 

 ranges between 1,000 and 1,100. 



The reason for the rapid diminution in the population of this 

 country is undoubtedly to be found in the diseases which have been 

 taken thither by the whalers. Of all these, syphilis has made the 

 greatest ravages among the natives. Of other diseases I am unable 

 to give a full account and can only refer in lliosr which came under 

 my observation during the year that I passed in tliis region. In Qe- 

 qerten a man died of cancer of the rectum, two women of pneumo- 

 nia, and iive children of diphtheria, this disease being first brought 

 into the country in 1883. In Anarnitung I knew of the death of 

 two women and one child. On the west shore a number of children 

 died of diphtheria, while the health of the adults was good. In 

 the year 188:J-'84 I Tieard of two births, one occurring in Qeqerten, 

 the other in Padli. At Qarussiiit and Anarnitung there were two 

 abortions. 



The opinion that the Eskimo are dying out on account of an insuf- 

 ficient supply of food is erroneous, for, even though the natives 

 slaughter the seals without discrimination or forethought, they do 



