Volume 8, 1955 - The Arctic Circle - Home

VOL. VUI NO.2 THE ARCTIC CIRCULAR 22been empty since March and game was scanty in this part of thearchipelago. There were two other main camps, one on FrenchIsland (8 families) in the south and the other in the vicinity ofEskimo Harbour (10 families) in the north. The food situationwas rather better at the northern camp.The mining party arrived on July 22 in the Agamiskiand Fort Charles, which had been chartered from the Hudson l sBay Company. Both ships called at the post, where they unloadeda first shipment of supplies, mainly flour, for the store, and thenproceeded to "Iron Cove" in the vicinity of Haig Inlet, FlahertyIsland, where the mining camp was to be set up. The BelcherMining Corporation brought in a party of fourteen, includinggeologists, drillers, and carpenters, for a 2-month drillingprogram. L. F. Gauvreau was the mining engineer in charge.Constable E. J. Ard of the R.C.M.P. and Bill Woodrow, whowas to take charge of the trading operations for the summer, alsocame in with the group.From July 23 until August 28 I camped near the mininginstallations where I made a careful study of all native - whiterelationships. Twelve natives were hired by the mining companyand three families from Tukarak moved their quarters near thecamp. During this period I also made a short trip to EskimoHarbour for archaeological work and another to the post as Iwanted to be present when the Fort Charles called for the secondtime on August 2 and when the medical party arrived on August 6.During my stay on the islands I excavated five Thulehouse ruins. No traces of the Dorset culture were found. Thereare numerous Thule-type houses on the Belchers, mainly on thenorthern part, around Eskimo Harbour, which was surprisingas G. I. Quimby noted: "The semisubterreanan house characteristicof the Thule culture seems to be lacking in this area". IOn August 28 I finally moved back to the post, whereI remained until September 23, as the greatest concentration-of natives was in this area at the time. The bustling activityI1. G. I. Quimby. 1940. "The Manitunik Eskimo culture of eastHudson's Bay". Amer. Antiquity, Vol. 6, pp. 148-65.