New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-02-27

and their manner Of life demonstrate that they
are members Of that Family Of Poarmen,'
which is found everywhere 10 the high North from
Lspland 10 Bsain's Bay on the eastern coast Of
Greenland, by the sea shore, and it might almost
be said 10 the midst OF toe ice and snO y, wherever
the seal is 70 be found. The Greenland Esqui.
maux name themselves Hauit ssuifying men, oe
human beings They seem 70 have made their
appearance on the western coast in the fourteenth
century, snd under the name of Skr5lnger,"
are mentioned in the annals Of the Icelandic col.
onies in tia. region. They are supposed to have
lived on the American Continent al one time, SIS
far South as Ninlsnd, or wEngland, and 20
have been gradually forced to the North by other
wild races. Their own traditions indicate that
they reached Greenland ct a comparatively late
period They are Of a stout bald. below the me.
dunn hight, have broad fat faces, inexpensive
eyes, small noses, thick under lips and coarse
black hair, which hangs their brown faces.
Their skin is nevertheless rather fair than dark,
but appears brown in consequence Of its stiffness,
and gives out q repulsive, fatty smell, which ic
almost insupportable to Europeans In the
Southern part, we see more slender figures, more
agreeable faces and more expressive eyes. The
Greenlander is lazy, and Indifferent to what takes
place around him, but in general cheerful and we'll
disposed. He seldom involves himself in quar-
rel, or even comes TO hot words. He is change
able, troubles himself only about bis nearest in.
terests or his absolute necessities and when he
has change delights in sleeping night aud day
! The vanity of these people is very striking. Ac-
cordng to their opinion, all other people are in-
] NJ ban thay Vii IN rraisa
stranger they say: "He is as well instructed as
we" or :" he begins to be an Innuit.' Crimes or
acts of violence seldom occur: whoever INJURIES
another is publicly scoled at and scorned, Tor the
Greenanders have strong inclination 10 satire
and biting tongue. The Norwegian Missionary
! Egede, who settled among them in the year 1921,
! had to bear great deal in the commencement OF
his labors. They compared his large nose With
the Stag Horn peak, and when he related to then.
the life and sufierngs Of Christ, they remarked:
"If He had come among US, we would have loved
Him and been obedient to HIM What madmen,
to slay Him who could give them lifeV They
love their near relatives but are unfeeiing 10 re-
lation to their misiortunes, and exhibit no regret
at the total ruin of others.
They neither form State, nor possess any Gov.
eminent or kind of authority whatever This is
explained by the simple circumstance that they
need nothing Of the kind. In Summer they live
in tents in winter in houses-or rather huts-
which are from five to six feet high, twelve
broad, and hundred feet long, often containing
several families under the same roof The walls
are covered on the inside with skins to keep out
the dampness and cold air A broad bench runs
along the side; a kettle of stone or iron hangs
over a train oil lamp, which supplies the place OF
a stove or hearth The windows are formed OF
the entrails of the whale and seal, instead or
glass. The entrance is through long, narrow
passage through which the hot air escapes and al
though there is no door, such heat is kept up ln'
side that even in winter the Greenlanders go al
most without clothes. A European cannot ex.
st in such filth and stencil
Since the natives subsist principally upon the
supplies which the sea affords them, they bestow
! great pains on the construction of thei, boats,
which they guide and propel with great dexter
ity. The kayak, or mans boat is from twelve 70
fourteen feet long, only Is inches broad and 10
inches Deep having a skeleton Of wood and fsh
bone, covered on all sides with skins made per.
fectly water-tight, and weighing, at most only
thirty pounds In the middle is well secured
opening, into which the Esquimaux oreePs. Ha
then fas,ens his coat of sealskn tight around the
entrance, and sits perfectly dry in the middle Of
the sea. In bis light skiH he aes as securely sE
a seagull over tho waves, aud in times Of tho
severest cold is kept warm by bis own fat Even
when the kayak is overturned, the stroke OF an
is sufficient TO restore its equilibrium, but
whoever loses bis oar, is hopelessly lost The
umiakS are womens boats, twice as long and
three or four times as broad as the kayaks very
elastic, but with fiat bottoms, and therefore
adapted for q quiet sea. They are propelled by
four or FIVE women, for among the Esquimaux
the severest labors are imposed upon the female
sex. They make clothes and boots, uEaiaks and
kayaks, tan leather, build houses pitch tents.
cook and take care Of the children, while the man
considers it unworthy of him to work his proper
employment is in catching seals and shooting
birds. Since there are no rich Greenanders, the
bride brings her husband no other dover than
strong arms. It is, however. customary and pro.
per, that after the betrothAl-a after in which
the parents never interfere-she should shut her
self up for several days and weep or run loose
among the mountains, whence she is brought back
BY the bridegroom. Polygamy is allowed, bat is
only practced when the first wife remains bar
rem in which case she requests her husband to
choose second. IF the man wishes TO separate
rom bis wife, he puts a disconnected face for q
time and leaves the house without saying where
be is going. The woman understands this hint
packs together her property, takes her children
and returns to her relatives.
The country would be uninhabitable even for
EsquimAUx were it not for the seals, which are
as indispensable to them as the reindeer to the
Laplanders. Their flesh is eaten, their skins
used for clothing and to cover boats and houses
bile tba furpiahaa lioI nj Tba nirnaT