The International Polar Expedition to Point Barrow, Alaska, was
organized in 1881 by the Chief Signal Officer of the Army, for the
purpose of cooperating in the work of circumpolar observation proposed
by the International Polar Conference. The expedition, which was
commanded by Lieut. P. H. Ray, Eighth Infantry, U.S. Army, sailed from
San Francisco July 18, 1881, and reached Cape Smyth, 11 miles
southwest of Point Barrow, on September 8 of the same year. Here a
permanent station was established, where the party remained until
August 28, 1883, when the station was abandoned, and the party sailed
for San Francisco, arriving there October 7.
Though the main object of the expedition was the prosecution of the
observations in terrestrial magnetism and meteorology, it was possible
to obtain a large collection of articles illustrating the arts and
industries of the Eskimo of the region, with whom the most friendly
relations were early established. Nearly all of the collection was
made by barter, the natives bringing their weapons, clothing, and
other objects to the station for sale. Full notes on the habits and
customs of the Eskimo also were collected by the different members of
the party, especially by the commanding officer; the interpreter,
Capt. E. P. Herendeen; the surgeon, Dr. George Scott Oldmixon, and
myself, who served as one of the naturalists and observers of the
expedition. It fell to my share to take charge of and catalogue all
the collections made by the expedition, and therefore I had especially
favorable opportunities for becoming acquainted with the ethnography
of the region. Consequently, upon the return of the expedition, when
it was found that the ethnological observations would occupy too much
space for publication in the official report,[N1] all the collections
and notes were intrusted to me for the purpose of preparing a special
report. The Smithsonian Institution, through the kindness of the late
Prof. Spencer F. Baird, then secretary, furnished a room where the
work of studying the collection could be carried on, and allowed me
access to its libraries and to the extensive collections of the
National Museum for the purposes of comparison. The Director of the
Bureau of Ethnology, Maj. J. W. Powell, kindly agreed to furnish the
illustrations for the work and to publish it as part of his annual
report, while the Chief Signal Officer, with the greatest
consideration, permitted me to remain in the employ of his Bureau
until the completion of the work.
[Footnote N1: Report of the International Polar Expedition to
Point Barrow, Alaska, by Lieut. P. H. Ray, Washington, 1885.]
Two years were spent in a detailed analytical study of the articles in
the collection, until all the information that could be gathered from
the objects themselves and from the notes of the collectors had been
recorded. Careful comparisons were made with the arts and industries
of the Eskimo race as illustrated by the collections in the National
Museum and the writings of various explorers, and these frequently
resulted in the elucidation of obscure points in the history of the
Point Barrow Eskimo. In the form in which it is presented this work
contains, it is believed, all that is known at the present day of the
ethnography of this interesting people.
Much linguistic material was also collected, which I hope some time to
be able to prepare for publication.
The observations are arranged according to the plan proposed by Prof.
Otis T. Mason in his “Ethnological Directions, etc.,” somewhat
modified to suit the circumstances. In writing Eskimo words the
alphabet given in Powell’s “Introduction to the Study of Indian
Languages” has been used, with the addition _ɐ_ for an obscure _a_
(like the final _a_ in _soda_), _ǝ_ for a similar obscure _e_, and _ö_
for the sound of the German _ö_ or French _eu_.
I desire to express my gratitude to the late Prof. Spencer F. Baird,
Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, to the late Gen. William
B. Hazen, Chief Signal Officer of the Army, and to Maj. J. W. Powell,
Director of the Bureau of Ethnology, for their kindness in enabling me
to carry on these investigations. Grateful acknowledgment is due for
valuable assistance to various members of the scientific staff of the
National Museum, especially to the curator of ethnology, Prof. Otis
T. Mason, and to Mr. William H. Dall. Valuable suggestions were
received from Mr. Lucien M. Turner, Dr. Franz Boas, the late Dr. Emil
Bessels, and Dr. H. Rink, of Christiania.