Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-29
THE LAND OF THE MUSK OK
What the Natives Gall the Land Mr..
Stern Intends to Explore.
Testimony of the Eskimos Gathered
by DIR. Franz BOas-The Fate OF the
Two Swedish Naturalists.

Though the southeastern angle Of Files
mere Land is sighted every year by the
whole feet of whaling steamers. yet the rest
Of the land is practically unknown, hav
ing been touched by white men only a.
three points. each time only for a few
hours. Even the east shore, which t.
marked by an unbroken line On our maps,
was sketched by Inglefield at a great dis
lance. and will doubtless prove. on accurate
examination, to differ considerably from
the form 1t now has on the maps. The west
shore, for distance Of at least 200 miles,
is entirely unknown.
The Eskimos, however, both to the east
and TO the south of Ellesmere Land. seem
to possess considerable information about
that land. This fact was first ascertained
by the crew of the Polaris, in their winter
quarters near the Eskimo village of Etah,
on the east side of Smith sound One of
their most devoted friends was an Eskimo
whom the Polaris people dubbed Jim, who
stated that he had come from Ellesmere
Land, which was visible on the other side
OF the sound From Jim, or rather from
his wife. who was considerably more intel
ligent than her spouse. it was ascertained
that there were many Eskimo living in the
neighborhood Of Cape Isabella and all
a.
said that his father-in-law lived there, and
that in winter time they frequently commu-
nicateo with each other. crossing the
straits on the ice. He also said that the
land was an island, and that he himself
had frequently gone all around it; that the
Eskimo called il Cmingmung Island, from
the number of musk cattle which are found
upon IL. From this conversation il was in
ferred that United States or Hayes sound
must turn to the southwark and unite with
Jones sound to form an island. 1t was
also thought highly probable that the musk
OK Island of which McClintock speaks WAS
in fact, Ellesmere Land.
These statements are of the highest ill.,
terest, as throwing light on the possible
tate OF the young swedish naturalists
Bjorling and kallstcnius, who We're wreck
ed near Eilesmere Land in the autumn of
Tsp, and who, in the last note written by
them, stated that they were starting for
the nearest point of that land. AS they
had two rifles and a shotgun and plenty of
ammunition, IL seems quite likely Inat they
may have survived. especially if they met
the Eskimos. who, according to the above
reports. inhabit the east shore.
DIR. Fran. Boas' Description.
The most detailed and interesting data
were Obtained by DIR. Franz Boas, who
spent Year among the Eskimos of Bafiin
Land. the large island west of Baffin bay
From information and drawings obtained
from natives who had visited Jones Sound
and Eliesmere Land he was able to sketch
the outline Of that land with considerable
detail.
The most exact description i received"
he says. was from an Eskimo woman
whom 1 met at Cape Kater. She was born
at Igluling in Fury and Hecla strait, had
lived some time in Repulse bay, returned
to fgiuiing, and afterward crossed the land
AhnllYalty ha M fxyac
'Tudnunirossirn. There she lived tor a
number OF years. and about fifteen years
ago she started with a party to North
Devon, which the Eskimo call 'Tudjan'
There is little Intercourse between Balm
Land and North Devon, Lancaster sound
being seldom covered by a solid ice foe
The north shore of Baffin Land (Civang of
the natives,) is generally washed by water
during the whole winter.
Crossing the sound on sledges, these
Eskimo passed a very small island, called
Ugiirn, most probably the rock seen by
Capt Adams in 1871, and in two or three
days reached the opposite shore. They did
not follow the shores of North Devon, but
crossed the Recovered island on sledges.
In four days they reached the north shore,
whence long and narrow peninsula, Ned
lung, stretches to Ellesmere Land their
'Urnngmam Nuna,' ie., musk-ox land.
Nedlung is divided from North Devon only
at high tide by narrow strait. through
which runs very strong tidal current,
which keeps open a water-hole throughout
the winter. All around this place the ice
wastes quickly in the spring. and forms a
large basin of water Astounding with seals.
This strait which is dry at low water is
called Tinitokaiang. The peninsula of Ned
lung forms a sharp angle in a northwestern
ly direction. Only that part OF the penn-
sula which lies nearest to North Devon is
high and steep and forms bold face; far
Their north IT is very low. The length of
Nedlung may be about forty miles; its
width three or four miles. West of IL
there are numerous small islands, called
fredericksburg that is to say, islets;
to the east there are no islands.
Having reached Cmingmam Nuna, the
Eskimo fell in with small tribe residing
on this shore. Here they lived for some
time, as an abundance of seals was found
during the whole year. Farther northwest
there is a large ford, called 'kangirtuk-
siak.' Off which an island is found called
Observation-Disclosures The Eskimo did not
go to the land on the other side of the
ford, as polar bears are said to be very
numerous and large there.
Native Traditions.
Il obtained this informant ton by most care
full and minute investigation on every
point. 1 also heard some less detailed de-
scriptions Of the journey to Cmingmam