East Coast of West Greenland . 357 
consisted of an excavation in the ground, at the brow of a bank, 
about four feet in depth, fifteen feet in length, and six or nine 
in width. The sides of each were supported by a wall of stone, 
and the bottom appeared to be gravel, moss and clay. The ac- 
cess to these huts was a horizontal tunnel, perforating the 
ground, about fifteen feet in length, opening at one extremity 
on the side of the bank, into the external air ; and, at the other, 
communicating with the interior of the hut. The funnel was 
roofed with slabs of stone and sods, and was so low, that a per- 
son must creep on hands and feet to get into the dwelling. The 
admirable adaptation of this kind of dwelling to the nature of 
the country, and the circumstances of the inhabitants, is thus 
described by our author : 
(< I was much struck by its admirable adaptation to the nature of 
the climate, and the circumstances of the inhabitants. The unci- 
vilized Esquimaux,, using no fires in these habitations, but only 
lamps, which serve both for light and for warming their victuals, 
require, in the severities of winter, to economise, with the greatest 
care, such artificial warmth as they are able to produce in their huts. 
For this purpose, an under-ground dwelling, defended from the pe- 
netration of the frost by a roof of moss and earth, with an additional 
coating of a bed of snow, and preserved from the entrance of the 
piercing wind, by a long subterranean tunnel, without the possibi- 
lity of being annoyed by any draught of air, but what is voluntarily 
admitted, — forms one of the best contrivances which, considering the 
limited resources, and the unenlightened state of these people, could 
possibly have been adopted. The plan of the tunnel is ingenious. It 
always has its opening directed to the southward, both that the me- 
ridian rays of the spring and autumn sun may pierce it with their 
genial warmth, and that the north, east, and west winds, whose se- 
verity must be most intense, may blow past without penetrating. 
In some cases, the bottom of the tunnel is on a level with the floor 
of the hut ; but, in others (when there is, perhaps unwittingly, a 
practical application of a scientific principle) the tunnel is so much 
below the hut, that the roof of the former coincides with the floor 
of the latter. On this plan, the cold air which creeps along the tun- 
nel, being denser than the air in the hut, can have no tendency to 
rise into it, but the contrary, unless a circulation were intentionally 
encouraged, by allowing the escape of the warm air from the win- 
dows or roof. In general, it appears, that the interchange of air 
must be effected by the slow and almost imperceptible currents pass- 
ing and repassing in the contracted tunnel.” P. 209, 210. 
Adjoining the huts were remains of stores and other offices, 
and also many graves. Numerous pieces of rein-deer's horns 
were found, also bones of seals, walrusses, bears, dogs, narwals, 
and whales, and the thigh-bones of an animal, the species of 
