320 



one family, while Holm gives the length of the houses oc- 

 cupied in 1884 as ranging between 7'5 and 15*7 metres, and 

 the width between 3*8 and 5*0 metres, several famihes living 

 in each of these houses. I must observe, however, that during 

 my stay in the Angmagsalik District I have come 

 across ruined houses of smaller dimensions than the above, 

 though none of such small dimensions as in Scoresby 

 Sund. 



Ryder believes that the Eskimo are not extinct in 

 Scoresby Sund and the districts to the north of it, and 

 he therefore upholds the theory that the population little by 

 little have journeyed further south, and that these people or 

 their descendants have reached Angmagsalik and the 

 southern part of the East coast. We know from G. Holm 

 that the inhabitants of Angmagsalik have made journeys 

 right up to Nordre-Aputitek, whereby the occurrence of 

 large houses on this stretch of coast receives a ready ex- 

 planation. But it seems to me that the existence of the small 

 houses right away from Scoresby Sund to the Angmag- 

 salik District to some extent confirms Ryder's hypothesis, 

 although it is possible that small bands of Eskimo may have 

 died out in the district about Scoresby Sund. Thus, in 

 the settlements at Кар Tobin the inhabitants have in all 

 probability died out. In a kitchen-midden east of the settle- 

 ment Koch found two human skulls and, in spite of the short 

 time at his disposal, made a comparatively rich haul of ethno- 

 graphic objects. 



It is necessary, however, to be very cautious in drawing 

 conclusions from the size of the houses as to the peregrina- 

 tions of the Eskimo; for the size of the houses is no doubt 

 determined by local circumstances and not by any peculiarity 

 of the different tribes. Everywhere where it is feasible we 

 find several families living in one house. For it is evident to 

 the practically-minded Eskimo that it is in every way best for 



