e feet above the surrounding ground, to
guard against inundations. There is a square hole in the roof, near the
door, intended for ventilation, or for an occasional entrance. As we
observed no fire-places in these dwellings, it is probable that they are
heated, and the cookery performed in the winter, with lamps. Some of the
houses were built front to front, with a very narrow passage between
them leading to the doors, which were opposite to each other. This
passage must form a snug porch in the winter when it is covered with
slabs of frozen snow, and one end stopped up. Some of the larger houses
which stood single, had log-porches to shelter their doors; and near
each house there was a square or oblong pit, four feet beneath the
surface of the ground, lined and covered with drift timber, which was
evidently intended for a store-house.

[Illustration]

The large building for an assembly-room was, in the interior, a square
of 27 feet, having the log-roof supported on two strong ridge poles, two
feet apart, and resting on four upright posts. The floor in the centre,
formed of split logs, dressed and laid with great care, was surrounded
by a raised border about three feet wide, which was, no doubt, meant for
seats. The walls, three feet high, were inclined outwards, for the
convenience of leaning the back against them, and the ascent to the
door, which was on the south side was formed of logs. The outside,
covered with earth, had nearly a hemispherical form, and round its base
there were ranged the skulls of 21 whales. There was a square hole in
the roof, and the central log of the floor had a basin-shaped cavity,
one foot in diameter, which was, perhaps, intended for a lamp. The
general attention to comfort in the construction of the village, and the
erection of a building of such magnitude, requiring a union of purpose
in a considerable number of people, are evidences of no small progress
towards civilization. Whale skulls were confined to the large building,
and to one of the dwelling-houses, which had 3 or 4 placed round it.
Many wooden trays, and hand-barrows for carrying whale blubber, were
lying on the ground, most of them in a state of decay.

Myriads of musquitoes, which reposed among the grass, rose in clouds
when disturbed, and gave us much annoyance. Many snow birds were
hatching on the Point, and we saw swans, Canada geese, eider, king,
arctic, and surf ducks; several glaucous, silvery, black-headed, and
iv