Alaska -- Antiquities; Eskimos; Eskimos -- Anthropometry; Indians of North America -- Alaska; Indians of North America -- Yukon
After noon asked the captain for the skin whaleboat to explore the
shore. The latter is nearly a mile distant and shows about 60 feet high
dirt bluffs. Got the boat and went with the boatswain. Berg, a young
"hand," Weenie, and the movie man, La Voy. Rowed with La Voy. Had a
wholesome two and a half hours exploring. Found a little stream, with
traces of native deer camp (collected two seal skulls); a moderate
number of flowers and grasses (collected some mushrooms); some fossil
shells from the bluffs; and two Eskimo burials. One of these, a
woman, nearly all washed away and lost; of the other, a man, secured
the skull, jaw, one shoulder blade and part of a diseased femur with
corresponding socket (mushroom arthritis), also the two humeri. A good
specimen. Returned, rowing again, near 4. All there playing cribbage
and solitaire.
Am tempted to walk to Barrow; but there are some streams in the way
which it might be impossible to ford. Moreover, no one knows the
distance.
Sunday, August 8. Morning finds us once more thwarted, and standing
at our place of refuge. No change in conditions, but there will be a
change of moon to-night, so I at least have hopes. In my travels I
learned too much about the moon not to believe in it. Toward evening
ice begins to move out.
Monday, August 9. At 12.30 a. m., unexpectedly, a new start. The wind
has turned at last (new moon!) to northeast, but is mild. Soon in ice.
Many bumps and much creaking and shaking. Captain's collie gets scared
and tries to get into our beds, one after another. But very little
sleep under these conditions.
In the morning we find ourselves in a thicker ice field than any
before, with floes on all sides. Boat barely creeps. Toward 10 a.
m. further progress found almost impossible, and so forced to turn
backward once more. However, can not even go back and so, near 12,
anchor about a mile offshore opposite a small river with lagoon-like
mouth and two tents of natives--"Shinara," or "Shinerara."
Ask captain for a boat to visit and explore the coast. Consents, and
so at 1 we go forth, about eight of us, with the captain's dog. Reach
Eskimo, photograph the group. All look remarkably Indianlike. Then go
to look for skeletal material. Nothing near, so return for the Eskimo
boy. He leads me about a mile over the highland tundra to two burials
in boxes--not old. Look through crevices shows in one an adolescent, in
the other a female (or a boy) with hair and skin still on. Leave both.
Then into the boat once more after buying some fossil teeth, and with
the boy Isaac--his father is Abraham--try to go into the river, and
soon get stuck in the stickiest mud (oily shale) imaginable--great work
to clean even the oar with which we had to push ourselves off. Land
then on the beach and for the next two hours explore that side of the
basin. Find remains of two small settlements--seven huts in all, none
very old.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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