280 THE CAIRN EMPTY. Chap. XV. 



CHAPTEE XV. 



The cairn found empty —Discover Hobson's letter — Discovery of 

 Crozier's record — The deserted boat — Articles discovered about 

 the boat — The skeletons and relics — The boat belonged to the 

 * Erebus ' — Conjectures. 



As the Esquimaux of this land, as well as 

 those of Boothia and Pond's Inlet, have long 

 since given up the practice of building stone 

 dwellings — passing their winters in snow huts 

 and summers in tents — no other traces of them 

 than those described remain ; so that when or 

 in what numbers they may have been here one 

 cannot form any opinion, the same caches and 

 hiding-places serving for generations. 



I cannot divest myself of the belief that some 

 record was left here by the retreating crews, 

 and perhaps some most valuable documents 

 which their slow progress and fast failing 

 strength would have assured them could not be 

 carried much further. If any such were left 

 they have been discovered by the natives, 

 and carried off, or thrown away as worthless. 



