hrdluka] WRITER'S TRIP ON YUKON 93 



purchased cheaply many smaller objects of fossil ivory, which they 

 excavate from a near-by old site. 



These objects are obtained from an old village located on the coast 

 about -t miles farther cast, on or near the North Cape, visible from 

 our boat. The natives excavate in this site as far as it thaws every 

 summer, and find many objects. They, moreover, make an occa- 

 sional trip to the two little rocky Punuk islands located about 12 

 miles south of the East Cape of the St. Lawrence, which, though 

 accurately charted by the Russians as early as 1849, yet until the 

 summer of 1926 remained practically unknown. On one of these 

 islands there is now known to exist an extensive frozen refuse heap, 

 containing large quantities of old ivory implements as well as other 

 objects of scientific interest. 



The land visit was a great tonic after the wild and mean preced- 

 ing night, and I did not relish at all the Bear's whistle calling us 

 away. What a great thing it would be if a revenue cutter could for 

 just one season be given to science ! 



Sunday. July 25. Left St. Lawrence 9.30 last night, sea quieting. 

 We are now passing, on our right. King Island, isolated rocky mass. 

 Day fair, cool, water getting smooth. 



About 50 miles north one can now see plainly Cape Prince of 

 Wales (pi. 5. a), and to the left, hazy, the two Diomedes. We are 

 now 95 miles from St. Lawrence. On really clear days one could see 

 from here even the Asiatic heights. Therefore, from the latter on a 

 clear day one sees the Diomedes. the Cape, the highlands beyond. 

 and King Island, while a little farther south there is on such a day 

 a good view from Asia of the St. Lawrence Island. All this was in 

 good weather easily reached from Asia and must have been utilized 

 from the earliest time in passing onward from one continent to 

 the other. 



We can now see also much of the coast in the direction of Teller 

 and the York Mountains behind. 



From hour to hour there is growing on one a profound apprecia- 

 tion that the Bering Sea was a most favorable amphitheater of 

 migration, particularly from the less hospitable Asia eastward into 

 America. And practically the whole trend of native movements to 

 this day is from Asia toward America. 



Later in the day. now 7 a fine, bright summer day. arrive off Wales. 

 Here again anchor far out. Last year the B< m- grounded here and 

 our captain is apprehensive. Wales is a >traggly village — or two 

 villages — located on a large. Hat sandy spit, dotted with water pools, 

 and projecting from the Seward Peninsula toward Asia. Near by 

 are old sites, probably of much archeological value, and in these 

 for some weeks now excavations have been carried on bv Dr. D. 



