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[verso]

a reserve of harpoon lines for the winter -
tusky walrus heads stare at you from the
snow bank where they are stowed for
their ivory - the dogs are tethered to
the ice and the children each one ar-
med with the curved nib of some
big amphibion - are playing ball
and bat among the drifts.

On the day of my arrival four walrus
were killed at Etah. And I dont
know how many by Kalutah at [Pete??-]
vik.

The quantity of beef gained during
a season of plenty one would suppose
ought to put them beyond winter want -
but there are other causes than their
improvidence which cause scanty supplies -

The poor creatures are not idle - they
hunt indomitably without the loss of a day.
When the storms prevent the use of the sleds -
they still work in storing away the car-
cases of previous hunts. The quantity
thus stowed is excessive - an excavation
either on the main lands or what is [illegible]
upon an islands unaccessable to foxes - is
made by removing stones and into this
grave, the jointed meat is stacked - and
finally covered with nearby stones.

One such Cache seen by me on a small
island - near Samuel Leiper's [testicles?] -
contained ten walrus and I know
of several others - equally large.

The excessive consumption is the
true explanation of the scarcity. By
their own wise laws they must share
with all - and as they migrate in
numbers according to the state of sup-
plies the tax upon each settlement is
excessive - The quantity [??] mass-