Ethnographical collections from East Greenland. 



369 



Thus, in contrast to the West Greenland features, the Ammas- 

 salikers have broad uprights, sometimes composed of two or several 

 pieces, connected by a cross-bar, which has two downward, orna- 

 mental expansions with two holes for the cross-straps. Tlie cross- 

 pieces of the seat are some few, broad boards, 

 fixed close to each other and with semicircular 

 notches cut in their ends {ilercilersïnnerin) 

 probably for the straps which bind the boards 

 to the runners. The fore ends of the runners 

 are almost straight (or slightly bent upwards). 



Fig. 71. Sledge from Ammassalik, upper side. (Holm coll.). С ^lu. 



Fig. 72. Part of the under side of the sledge, i/u,. 



A common feature in the west and east coast sledges is seen 

 in the cross (X)- shaped straps between the uprights. They might 

 form a support to the back, but it may be noticed, that it is not 

 the custom to lean back when driving in a sledge. This cross fills 

 up the gap between the uprights and is intended to prevent the 

 baggage from falling out. The sledges of the Smith Sound Eskimo 

 have the same characteristic. On the other hand, these last are 

 different from the sledges of the rest of Greenland, in that the 

 cross-pieces of the seat (probably from want of wood) are very 

 different in breadth and placed very irregularly on the runners, 

 XXXIX. 24 



