468 'I'JfE CENTKAL ESKIMO. 



brought out of tlie store room and exposed to the sun's rays. Some 

 of the women busy themselves, with their crescent shajjed knives, in 

 cutting the blubber from the skins and putting it away in casks. 

 Others clean and salt the skins, which are likewise packed away. The 

 men also find enough work to do after the young sealing is over, for 

 the whale boats must be ,i;iit ri';ul)- for tlu' sjn-in,^- fisliini;'. Strangers 

 whose services have l)crii m^a-rd Ky tlic stali'm Un the next few 

 months arrive daily witli their t'aiiiilics and all lln-ir goods tn take up 

 their abode on Qeqerten. The boats are dug out of the deep snow, 

 the oars and sails are looked after, the harpoons are cleaned up and 

 sharpened, and everything is in busy preparation. The boats are 

 made as comfortable as possible with awnings and level floors, for 

 the crews are not to come to the shore for about six weeks. 



By the beginning of May, the arrangements having been com- 

 ]ileted, the boats are put upon the sledges, which, under the direction 

 of native drivers, are drawn by dog teams, with their crews, to the 

 floe edge. The sledges being heavily laden and food for the dogs 

 having to be provided by hunting, each day's stage is rather short. 

 Arriving at the floe edge the sledges are unloaded and the boats are 

 launched. Seals and birds of all kinds are now found in profusion 

 and the chase is opened without delay upon everything that is useful 

 and can be shot. Sledges ai-e regularly sent back to Qeqerten with 

 skins and meat for the families of the Eskimo, while the blubber 

 is packed in casks, which are ke]it i-cady on the spot. 



The most important object of t lie fxpcd it ion is the whale. Har- 

 poons and lines are always in readiness for the contest with the 

 mighty monster. The boats return to the north with the breaking 

 up of the ice and the fishing ends in July. Tlie Eskimo are paid 

 off and dismissed and n-suiue ili-ir reindi-er hunting, while the wlntes 

 are glad to enjoy some ivst aftei- tlie wi^eks of exliaustini;- la'ior. 



The con.stant eoutaet lietweeu the Eskimo and the whalers has 

 effected a perfect revolution in the trade between the Eskimo tribes. 

 As the whale catch in Cumberland Sound has fallen off during the 

 past fifteen years, a remigration of the population of Davis Strait 

 has occurred, ships visiting these shores every fall and a regular 

 traffic being kept up. Therefore many Oqomiut now travel as far 

 as Qivitung in order to trade there. As Nugumiut is still frequently 

 visited by whalers, there is no inducement for the inhabitants to leaA'e 

 their country. 



Within a few years the Akuliarmiut also have become amply pro- 

 vided with firearms and European prod^^cts in general by means of 

 a new whaling station which has been established in their vicinity. 



As to the Iglulirmiut. the importation of European manufactures 

 at Pond Bay makes the trade witli that region even more imiiortant 

 than formerly. 



The Aivillirmiut and the Kinipetu have immediate iutercoixrse 



