568 
VOYAGE TO THE 
CHAP, will be more convenient to confine it within the above-mentioned 
limits. 
Oct. 'rhese people inhabit the north-west coast of America, from 
64° 34' N. to 71° 24' N., and are a nation of fishermen dwelling upon or 
near the sea shore, from which they derive almost exclusively their sub- 
sistence. They construct yourts or winter residences upon those parts 
of the shore which are adapted to their convenience, such as the 
mouths of rivers, the entrances of inlets, or jutting points of land, but 
always upon low ground. They form themselves into communities, 
which seldom exceed a hundred persons ; though in some few instances 
they have amounted to upwards of two hundred. Between the above- 
mentioned limits we noticed nineteen of these villages, some of which 
were very small, and consisted of only a few huts, and others appeared 
to have been deserted a long time ; but allowing them all to be in- 
habited in the winter, the whole population, I should think, including 
Kow-ee-rock, would not amount to more than 2500 persons. I do not 
pretend to say that this estimate is accurate, as from the manner in 
which the people are dispersed along the coast in the summer time, it 
is quite impossible that it should be so ; but it may serve to show that 
the tribe is not very numerous. 
As we landed upon every part of the coast, to which these villages 
appear to be confined, it is not likely that many escaped our observa- 
tion ; neither is it probable that there are many inland or far up the 
rivers, as frequent access to the sea is essential to the habits of the 
people. Besides this may further be inferred, from the circumstance 
of no Esquimaux villages being found up either the M‘Kenzie or Cop- 
permine rivers, and from the swampy nature of the country in general, 
and the well-known hostile disposition of the Indians towards the 
Esquimaux. 
I'heir yourts or winter residences are partly excavated in the earth, 
and partly covered with moss laid upon poles of driftwood. There are, 
however, several kinds of habitations, which seem to vary in their con- 
struction according to the nature of the ground and the taste of the 
inhabitants. Some are wholly above ground, others have their roof 
scarcely raised above it ; some resemble those of the Tschutschi, and 
