462 THE CENTRAL ESKIMO. 



places, as they abound with sahnoii. The adjoining valleys and the 

 peninsulas which they form give the best chances for a successful 

 deer hunt. These facts are most apparent on the coast of the steep 

 highland of Nugumiut, over which numerous hei'ds of deer roam. 



A great influence is also exerted by the extensive plains of the 

 western part of Baffin Land, which abound in deer. We observe 

 that a number of tribes visit these districts, though their winter sta- 

 tions are at a great distance. The Akuliarmiut of Hudson Strait 

 and the Nugumiut travel to Lake Aniaqdjuaq, the Oqomiut stay on 

 Lake Nettilling, and the Akudnirmiut visit Majoraridjen. In the 

 same way all the tribes of Hudson Bay visit the laud farther west, 

 which is frequented by herds of the musk ox, and they go even as 

 far as Back River. This important fact shows the attraction which 

 is exei-ted by a rich country on all the tribes of the neighboring 

 districts. 



TRADE AND INTERCOURSE BETWEEN THE TRIBES. 



In treating of the single tribes, the routes were mentioned which 

 are followed by the natives as they travel from shore to shore and 

 from settlement to settlement. These routes are established by tra- 

 dition and the Eskimo never stray from them. In order to obtain 

 a more thorough iinderstanding of the migrations of single indi- 

 viduals and of families, the relations between the tribes and the set- 

 tlements must be discussed. 



By the lively intercourse which is always kept up between the 

 settlements, it cannot fail that marriages between members of dif- 

 ferent tribes should be of frequent occurrence and that many ties 

 of affinity and consanguinity should thus be created. These rela- 

 tions, however, as distances increase, quickly become less common. 

 For instance, in Cumberland Sound three people are found belong- 

 ing to Tununirn, about ten belonging to Akudnirn, and quite a 

 number coming from Padli. Also, two Sikosuilarmiiit live there, a 

 few natives of Akuliaq and Qaumauang, and very many Nugiimiut. 

 Hall's accounts concerning the Nugumiut and the Ai\illirmiut prove 

 a similar proportion of strange natives amoni;' tlirsi- tiilics. Every 

 tribe may be said to bring together its immediiite neigliljors, as it is 

 closely related to them, while those which are separated by the tribe 

 itself are strangers to one another. The importance of this mediate 

 position is regulati'il by tlir sti-i-iiii-tli of tlir tribe, by the significance 

 of the country- in refei-eiicei. . its |ii-<)(liice. ;iii(l li\' tlie routes crossing it. 



Thus, the Siki.suilariiiiut and the Xurataiuiiit are closely connected, 

 and may be considered as forming one group with the Akuliarmiut. 

 The Sikosuilarmiut have intercourse with the Igdlumiut, the inhab- 

 itants of the northern shore of Labrador. According to Lucien M. 

 Turner, three tribes may be distinguished there as inhabiting the 



