5 
the season of growth. The general dearth of vegetation is due not so 
much to climatic conditions as to the lack of proper soil. 
Thick ice was seen in a deep gully. The ice could not possibly melt 
entirely away before the coming of cold weather a few weeks later. 
Bird life on Kekerton islands was as scarce as plant life, though the 
Eskimo assert that certain islands in the sound are inhabited, during the 
breeding season, by great numbers of eider ducks, terns, and guillemots. 
Again through the courtesy of the Hudson’s Bay Company a trip 
was made on the launch Ungava to Kingua, Issortukdjuak fiord, distant, 
by boat, about 70 miles. The run was made during the evening and night 
of July 30 and the earlier part of the following day. The coast all the way 
is high, rugged, and barren except over limited areas low down near the 
sea, where the usual dwarfed, Arctic flora prevails. The general altitude 
along the coast approximates 2,000 feet, but north and northeast of 
American and Quickstep harbours, the elevation is much greater. Many 
peaks appear to reach at least 6,000 feet. Far inland, the Penny high- 
lands probably attain a much greater height. 
From American harbour on to Kingua the course followed was through 
a labyrinth of channels among islands, and between them and the main- 
land. Even if heavy seas are running in the open waters of the sound, 
this sheltered route is navigable for comparatively small boats. The 
islands are barren. They range in size from a few acres to many square 
miles in extent, and in height from a few feet to 1,000 or more feet. In 
many places the rock rises from the water in lofty cliffs. Owing to tidal 
currents, fast water develops in some of the narrows. At one such narrows 
a few miles south of Nunatuk, the current, when swiftest, runs at a rate 
of about 10 miles an hour. 
Nunatuk, a small native village on an island near the entrance to 
Kingua, was passed early in the forenoon of July 31 and Sirmilling bay 
was reached and anchor dropped at 10 a.m. The ruins of the old German 
International Circumpolar station, established in 1882, are on a bench 
overlooking the bay and on their site is a small Hudson’s Bay Company’s 
outpost. During the several days spent at this outpost the weather at 
times was warm, and bees and butterflies were in evidence. 
Midlualik bay, a deep bay a short distance northeast of Sirmilling 
bay, w r as visited. A small mountain stream entering the head of the bay 
was followed inland for several miles. In sheltered positions, plant life 
was surprisingly luxurious. The Arctic willow was, perhaps, the prominent 
species; individual plants covered as much as a couple of square feet of 
ground, with trunks upwards of an inch thick. All are practically prostrate. 
A diminutive birch ( Betula nana ) was found growing in fair abundance on 
wide gravel flats near the mouth of the river. The crowberry ( Empetrum 
nigrum ) and the white heather ( Cassiope tetragona ) were both common, 
the former heavily in fruit. 
In restricted areas in the deep, sheltered valleys in the vicinity of the 
old German International Circumpolar station on Sirmilling bay the flora 
was found to be more luxuriant and sturdy than at Pangnirtung. Ledum, 
Cassiope, Arctostaphijlos, and Empetrum were the dominant genera, aside 
from the willows, which are found, usually, in the most discouraging 
situations. From near sea-level up to 600 feet, Empetrum and Arctosta- 
phylos were seen in flourishing stands, many of the plants heavily in fruit. 
