Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-01

keen wind blowing. However, Ford and found
quite comfortable quarters in a school house
which offered the advantages of stoves and
coal.
"Our method Of exploration was built around
the important fact that Eskimos always build
their villages by the sea. Now, of course. as
the centuries roll by the sea recedes with the
result that with the naked eye it was simple
matter for Ford and myself to see a series Of
old beach lines along the coast. Each one
marked different period of time. so it was
obvious that IL we could explore them all we
could no doubt discover the general chronology
of Eskimo culture.
1.-THE plan worked to perfection. though 10
involved hours upon hours of painstaking effort.
Before the Summer was over we had explored
the entire series Of beach lines which at times
extend from half mile from the sea to points
three-fourths Of mile inland
I'VE sank pits II feet square at each aban-
doned village site and the artifacts discovered
showed a steady deterioration in art as they
became later In time. Three of these ancient
sites, according to the present-day occupants
of the island, once bore the tongue-twisting
names Of Miyowaghameet, Ievoghiyogameet and
Seklowaghayaget.
There was abundant evidence that some Of
the more ancient peoples had sense of
form and detail. Among these were ivory bans
ner stones carved to represent whales tall
which probably were magical symbols used by
the whale hunters; delicate fgurine of o
mouse SO Sklu1uuy carved tnaL When V1eWe0
from another angle 1t appears to represent q
mythical monster, and many beautifully worked
harpoon heads.
"As stated earlier, we naturally assumed that
the abandoned village located on the oldest
beach line would be the Oldest ON the island.
In this belief we were backed up by the Inc
habitants of the island who stated emphatically
that the village Of Miyowaghameet the
most ancient.
However, we were due for surprise. We
a.. ~
vicinity of four Of the Oldest village sites when
I happened to take a casual stroll up q little
hill several hundred feet high located not far
from the village Of NJ. Now there was
well worn trail from the bottom to the top oe
this hill. For hundreds of years Eskimos had
been traverSing it and one would suppose that
the present inhabitants of the island would
be familiar with every nook and Granny.
well, was strOliing casually over this trail,
proving about ON the lower slope of the hill
and idly watches group Of children who were
cavorting about d the nearby rocks. All at
once little boy noticed my presence and evi-
denced the usual enthusiasm shown by Eskimo
children at the approach of a white man.
After making friendly gestures, the little lad
handed me O haTpo0n head which he claimed
he had just found. Nor would have given
the matter q moments thought except for the
fact that suddenly noticed that it was repres
sentative Of the old Boring Sea Eskimo culture
with its characteristic, graceful curvilinear art.
Immediately my interest was kindled, for I
had been hoping to flnd some old Boring sea
graves. No doubt there must be one some
where in the neighbOrhOOd. So / followed the
boy and he showed me where he had made his
hnd-in o crev1ce among the rocks in small
patch of refuse that had become exposed during
the passage Of time through the action Of .
trucking stream Of water.
almost at once T. too, made discovery-A
second harpoon head Of the old Boring Sea
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