Ethnological Sketch of the Angmagsalik Eskimo. 13 



unable to make long excursions on sledges, as the only surviving 

 dogs were in constant request for hunting. However, before the 

 ice broke up in the inner waters in the spring of 1885, we made a 

 sledge excursion in order to investigate a spring called Unartek, 

 which we were told was a hot spring. We were informed that it 

 was so hot that the eyes of a sea-scorpion turned white when they 

 were dipped into the spring, and that the heat proceeds from a 

 man who has been boiling salmon down there since the beginning 

 of the world. 



On the 1st of June we went by umiak up to Kingak, where 

 the catching of Angmagsat was going on. Even before the 

 Angmagsat come in, many people assemble here on account of the 

 excellent seal-hunting on the winter ice, and occasionally people 

 live here during the whole winter. When we arrived, practically 

 the whole population of the fjord had assembled there, and had 

 pitched their tents on the snow or the black rocks. In the evening 

 drum-dances and games went on. Here there are some large 

 boulders (loose rocks) with quite smooth sides, and beautifully 

 striped. On the perpendicular sides of these stones are cut foot- 

 steps which are used by the young people in playing catch over 

 the stones (Fig. 4). A small bay close by is surrounded by an 

 extensive salmon weir. 



Returning south. — The Expedition started from Angmagsalik 

 on the 9th June 1885. As we had only one boat for the home 

 journey, we had, in order to have room for everything in her, 

 made her broader, before covering her with skins. Even then it 

 was a very tight squeeze; she had to take 10 people in her as well 

 as tents, sleeping-bags, clothes, accoutrements, instruments, provisions, 

 besides pretty large collections, the ethnographical one particularly 

 taking up a great deal of space. 



We managed with much ado to cut our way and pole our 

 boat along the coast, inside the pack-ice, thus arriving at Sermilik 

 on the 25th June. The skins of the boat as well as her wood-work 

 had, however, suffered far too severely, considering the small 

 headway we had made. There was therefore no possibilit}^ of 

 travelling further homewards, before the ice drifted away from 

 land. 



On the 30th June there arose a strong land gale, which to- 

 Avards evening developed into a regular hurricane. We succeeded 

 only by dint of the greatest exertions in rescuing our tents, boats, 

 and baggage from being blown away. The native tents were 

 overturned, and the poles snapped, as they had not betimes 



