was apparently lined with something resembling a wooden bench. When,
in one of the houses, the remains of the dirt and stone roof that had
long since crushed down the rotten poles and seal skins that made the
framework and first covering, had been carefully removed, the floor
was found to be laid with flagstones, many three or four feet across,
closely fitted at the edges and well laid in the gravel so as to make
a smooth, even floor. This extended to the remains of the bench at the
sides, and made a dwelling which for Eskimo land must have been
palatial. The evidences of fire showed the hearth to have been near
the center of the floor, a little towards the entrance, in order to
get the most from its heat. The Hopedale Eskimo were themselves
surprised at the stone floor, but one old man remembered that he had
been told that such floors were used long ago, in the _palmier_ days
of Eskimo history, if such an expression is fitting for an arctic
people.

A village arranged on a similar plan, except that the houses were
joined together, was found to constitute the supposed remains of a
settlement on Eskimo Island in Lake Melville.

In both cases the front of the row is towards the east, and the houses
are dug down to sand on the inside, making their floors somewhat below
the level of the ground.

[Eskimos] A more thorough investigation than we were able to make of
the remains at Eskimo Island would undoubtedly yield much of interest
and value, for they were if anything even older than those at
Hopedale, probably having been abandoned after the battle between
Eskimo and Indians, fought on the same island, which has now become a
tradition among the people.

Five days were spent in this most interesting ethnological work, and
hard days they were, too, as well as interesting, for the mosquitoes,
black flies and midges were always with us; but on the other hand, the
Eskimo interpreter was continually describing some national custom
which some find would suggest to him, and very ingenious he proved to
be in naming finds which we were entirely ignorant of or unable to
identify.

The race as a whole is exceedingly ingenious, quick to learn, handy
with tools, and also ready at mastering musical instruments. One of
the best carpenters on the Labrador is an Eskimo at Aillik, from whom
we bought a kyak; and at Hopedale in the winter they have a very fair
brass band. The art of fine carving, however, seems to be dying out
among t