Volume 4, 1951 - The Arctic Circle - Home

were seen by the party in the hill country. Many polar
bears were seen in late August and September but other
mamnlal and bird life was relatively scarce on the east
coast. Large numbers of arctic char were taken from the
river estuaries.
The party reached Coral Harbour on September 19 after
further trouble with sea ice and strong gales, and left the
island by air towards the end of the month.
On 9 February 1951 Mr. James A. Houston, representing
the Canadian Handicrafts Guild and the Northwest Territories
Administration (see Arctic Circular Vol. III (1950) p. 54),
left for F'robisher Bay, accompanied by his wife, a former
teacher. After spending some time at Frobisher Bay, Mr.
and Mrs. Houston plan to travel by dog-team to Lake Harbour
and Cape Dorset. En route they will stay at the native
camps for short periods of time, instructing the Eskimo of
the district in handicrafts. They expect to remain at Cape
Dorset until the arrivaI of the Eastern Arctic Patrol next
Slli@ler. They will then join the Patrol and visit aIl the
settlements on the northern and eastern Baffin Island coasts
in order to study and encourage the handicraft industry in
these areas.
Mr. Houston believes that the general level of Eskimo
skill in handicrafts is reasonably good, although much of
the material produced to date must be considered experimental.
Ivory and soapstone carvings, beaded slippers, grass baskets,
and ornaments are attracting a ready market in Canada and
abroad.
The aim of Mr. Houston's work is not only to develop
the recognized craftsman, but also to encourage the majority
of the Eskimo to produce work which "\idllbe saleable. The
sale of handicrafts if of direct financial benefit to the
Eskimo and it is hoped that creating a new economic asset
for the natives will improve the general Eskimo economy.
The French Antarctic Expedition
On 9 January 1951, the Co~nandant Charcot again
reached Port Martin (60 0 50 s., 141025 E.), Ad~lie Land and
landed fourteen French scientists and an Australian