128 



ARCTIC RESEARCH EXPEDITION. 



had a very pretty semi-white baby, looking true American all 

 over! 



On the 29th of August I thought it advisable to try my expe- 

 dition boat, with a view to -preparing her for the trip to King 

 William's Land. Accordingly, she was brought in from where 



she was anchored near the ship, and Captain B myself, and 



Smith entered her for a sail. She was found to answer admira- 

 bly, and proved herself of high merit in model and capabilities. 

 Later in the day I again went away in her with Smith and two 

 men. We pushed outside into the bay. A fresh easterly breeze 

 was blowing, and this gave the boat a good test. Two of the 

 ship's boats were also out under sail, but we passed them at such 

 a rapid rate that it surprised every one. Truly glad was I to 

 find my boat so good, and little did I then imagine she was so 

 soon to be lost. 



On the 30th of August I went in an Esquimaux boat, with 

 some of the natives, to convey across the bay Annawa, his wife, 

 their infant, and a son, besides the widow of old Allokee, toward 

 their home, which was at the head of an inlet opening into Fro- 

 bisher Strait. Koojesse was of the party, which was comprised of 

 fifteen persons. 



We left the ship at 9 A.M., and when about two thirds of the 

 way we landed in a bight of a large island. Here I saw an old 

 Esquimaux settlement, and I should think there must have been 

 no less than fifty huts formerly erected there within a space of 

 500 feet of where I stood. The Esquimaux do not make their 

 winter habitations now as in the years when the huts I allude to 

 were built, the remains of which were before me.- During the 

 last few years Esquimaux live almost entirely in igloos — ''snow- 

 houses" — through the winter season. Formerly they built up an 

 earth embankment, or a wall of stone about five feet high, and 

 over this laid skeleton bones of the whale on spars of drift-wood, 

 then on top of that placed skins of the seal or walrus. Many of 

 the ancient embankments where we landed had the largest of 

 whale skeleton bones placed "cob-house" style, and so incorpora- 

 ted with the earth as to keep the whole firmly arfd enduringly 

 together. The entrances were serpentine tunnels under ground, 

 with side walls, and roofed with slabs of stone. To pass through 

 them one is obliged to go on " all-fours." 



I noticed here a dog-sledge such as the Esquimaux use in their 

 winter excursions. It was ten feet in length, the runners of one 



