The North-Carolinian. [volume] (Fayetteville [N.C.]) 1839-1861, 1851-03-15
VOC. 12-No. e2o.

foun6 The Greenland Esquimaux name
themseive, Lnuif, signifyins men, or
human beings. they seem to have made
their appearance On the western coast in
the fourteenth century. and under the
name of f''Skraliinger." are mentioned ia
the annals "f the ireiandic colonies in that
region. They are supposed to have lived
on the American Continent at one time,
as Tar South as Viniand. or New England,
and to have been gradually forced to the
North by oti,er wild races. Their own
traditions indicate that they reached Green
land at a comparatively late period. Ihev
are of stout build. below the medium
height. have broad. Hat faces, in-xpressive
eyes. small noses, thick under-!ips. and
coarse black hair. which hangs over their
brown faces. Their skin is nevertheless
rather fair than dark, but appears brown
IN consequence of it's iilt,iness. aud gi, es
out repuisive. fatty smell. which al
most ,n>upp"rtabie to Europeans. IN the
Southern part, we see annre slender
figures, more aafeeabse faces and n"re ex-
pressise eyes. The Grernlan,ier is lazs.
aud indifferent to " hat takes place around
him. but IN general cheerful and wei. dis
posed. He seldom involves himself in Il
quarrel. o: even comes to no. wards. lie
his nearest interests OF his absolute neces-
sites, and when he has chance, delights
in sleeping night aud day. The vanity of
these people /, very striking. According
t" their opinion. ali other people are in
seror to them. aud wien they wish top,aise
stranger they say: :. lie is as we'll in-
>tructed as We: or "He begins to tie an
lnnuit." Grimes or ac t. uf violence seldom
occur: whoever Injuries another is pub
licly scott-d aeand scorned. icr the Green
lander, have il strung inclination to satire
and biting tongne. The Norwegian
Missionary. E:cde. who settled among
them in the year l.2l, had 10 bear .rea,
deal ~ the commencement, OF his laburs.
They compared his large nose with the
sta. ii"ru peak. and when he related to
them the lie and suffering, OF Christ. they
remarkei: : 1t He had come among US,
we ""nih have loved Him and been ube-
dicnt to Him. What madmen, to stay
HIM who could . We them life 'fhey
love their near relatives. bn; are untteibg
III relation to their mi>turtunes. aud cx-
hIo.t no regret at the total ruin Of others.
They neither form State. nor possess
any Government or kind Of authority
whatever. This j, explained by the sim
of the kind. in Summer they live in teEts,
in winter in hoases or rather huts-wbich
are from five to SIX feet high. twelve
broad, and hundred teet long, often COM
tanning several families unler the same
roof. The walls are covered on the inside
with skins to keep nu; the Janpness and
cold air. q broad btfch runs along the
side IA kettle OF stone or iron hangs owe:
Il train "i! lamp. which, s,fppiies the place
Of a stove or hearth. The windows are
formed of the entraiIs Of the whale and
seal. instead of glass. The entrance is
tbrousha long. narrow passage. through
which the hot AIR c>cape.. aud afthOugt
there is no DOOR, such heat Is kept up in
side that even in winter the Greenianders
90 a most without clothes. A European
cannot exist in such filth and stencil.
Since the natives subsi>t principally up
on the supplies which the affords ,hc.D,
they pest"w great pains Oh the c"nstrac-
ton of their boat>. which they guii,. and
pr"pe with great texterl,y. The kayak,
or mans boat. is from. twelve 10 fourteen
feet long. only Is inches broad and y
lnche. deep, having IA skeleton Of wood
and fish bone, covered ON al, side, with
skins made perfectly vasert tight. and
weighing. at no.t. only thirty pounds. In
the middle is a we'll secured opening, into
which the E,quimaux creeps. He then
fastens his coat ut seai-skin tight around
the entrance. aud sits perfectly dry in the
middle Of the sea. In his light skiH l,s
fic> as securely as sea-gull over the
waves. aud III times Of tine severest cold i,
kept warm by his own fat. Even when
the kayak is overturned. the stroke Of au
oar is sufficient to restore its equilibrium,
but whoever loses his oar, is hopelessly,
lost. The umIaks are women's boats.
twice as long and three or iour ,,nes as
broad as the kayaks, very elastic, but with
Hat DO toms. and therefore adapted for a
auist sea. They are propelled by four or
five women. for amons til. E>s,uimaux the
severest labors imposed upon the fe-
male sex. They make clothes and boots.
umaks & KAYAKS, tan leather. build hnsscs,
pitch tents, cook and take care Of the.
children. while the man considers II un-
worthy of him to work; his proper employ
ment IS IN catching seals and sh""''ng BIRDS.
Since there are no rich GreeHianders. the
bride brings her husband 10 other dover
than stro,r arms. 1t is. however, cus-
tomary and proper. that after the betrOthal
"a matter in which the parents never
intrrfere-she should shut herself up for
several days and weep. or run loose among
the mountains. whence she is brought back
by the bridegroom. Polyganv is allowed,
but is only practiced when the first wife
remains barren; in which case she requests
her husband to choose a second. If the
man wishes to separate from his wife, he