6 
The berries of neither were ripe, as yet, though those of the former seemed 
nearly so. 
In the vicinity of Sirmilling bay very little wild life was seen, with 
the exception of white whales which were numerous each day in the bay 
at flood tide. In early July about 700 of these animals were killed in a 
drive conducted in Midlualik bay. Old caribou trails were observed some 
distance up the river entering Sirmilling bay. To obtain light summer 
skins for clothing the Eskimos journey in August, from the heads of Kingua 
and Nettilling fiords, to the interior where, in the vicinity of the big lakes 
and to a limited extent, also, in the hill country of Saumia and Talirpia, 
the caribou spend the summer and bring forth their young. 
Pangnirtung was returned to on August 5. At this time, birds were 
scarce and of mammals all that could be secured were a few hares, lemmings, 
and seals. On the lowlands along the coast, the flowering plants were in 
bloom. The low stretches were various shades of green, and a pale green 
coloration extended up the bounding slopes to the edges of the piles of 
barren talus. In Baffin island the flowers begin to bloom in late May 
and the birds, in general, commence to nest a short time after, but the 
summer season is not fully developed until late July, or early August. 
Winds and breezes of varying strength kept passing up and down the 
fiord. Days of dead calm were few. It was not uncommon during a day 
to have winds from every point of the compass. While a very strong 
wind was blowing in the fiord, a little distance inland the wind may have 
been light or entirely wanting. At times, while almost a calm prevailed 
in the fiord, light breezes poured out of tributary valleys. It was not 
uncommon to note a strong wind steadily setting up the fiord while the 
clouds moved rapidly in the opposite direction. 
On August 17 and 18 a trip was made on the Hudson’s Bay Company’s 
launch to Blacklead island. The sound was crossed from Kekerton 
islands and the southwest coast was reached at a point about 20 miles 
north of Blacklead island. The islands in this vicinity, like those else- 
where in the sound, are rugged. On little tablelands, or in basins, enough 
soil has accumulated to support the usual flora. The surface is as a rule 
muskeggy and small pools are not uncommon. Around the latter various 
species of grasses are in many places a foot or more high. The Arctic 
cotton is seldom absent. According to the writer’s experience, the flora 
of the outlying islands is invariably more dwarfed, and of fewer species 
than in the adjacent mainland valleys. The latter situations, having 
greater protection, are warmer. The islands are constantly surrounded 
by cooler air, or fogs, or swept by cold winds off the sound where the water 
is never more than a few degrees above freezing point, and icebergs are 
always present. Snow buntings were the only birds seen on the land. 
Glaucous and Kumlien gulls frequented the coast in fair numbers. 
Hundreds of islands fringe the southwest coast of Cumberland sound 
and a nearly continuous inside passage exists, from Blacklead island to 
the entrance to Nettilling fiord. The whole length of this side of the gulf 
is rugged and lofty, but decreases in altitude to the north and w r est. The 
general elevation in the vicinity of Blacklead island is between 2,000 and 
3,000 feet, but in Nettilling region it is only a few hundred feet and 
the country is less rugged. At this time large patches of snow still per- 
sisted on the higher land in Blacklead Island region. 
