The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1855-04-20
MISCELLANY.
lFrom' the Psychological Journal: !
The Esquimaux Indiana.

The Arctic Ocean is cncircled by coast
three thousand miles in extent, and cou-
tains an area of four and a half millions of
square miles, The shores of this mvstcri-
Gus sea, rock-ribbed and ice bound, indcnt-
cd with numberless inlets and bays, and in
creased in available extent by many islands
and capes, are Inhabited by three races Of
men, differing from the rest of the species
and from each other. Along the Asiatic
shores OF the Arctic, the Ic!thyophagi, or
fsh-eating Tartar tribes, wander in pursuit
of fish and game. The North American
coast, from Russian Alaska to Danish Green
land, is occupied, where it is occupied at all,
by the Esquimaux. The northern shores of
Europe, which complete the grim circle
that shuts in the icy sea, are inhabited by
the Laplanders.
Between these three races, there are GER
tain obvious points of resemblance. They
are all short of stature, and Of swarthv conf
plexlon: They are all accustomed to a
wandering life. They all have one enemy
IN cefimon-the COLD; and one peril in
common-Starvation. Compelled to de.
vote their whole energies to the preserya-
ton of their existence against the same
dangers, they resemble one another much
N their habits and way of life. Between
the Esqulmaux and the fish-eating Tartars,
there are indeed so many points of reseln-
6lance and the. Behring Straits offer so
slight an obstacle to communication be-
tween the two continents, that there seems
no reason to doubt the common theory,
that the American Esquimaux are the oil:
spring Of the Siberian Tartars. 1t is even
asserted that an Esquimaux from Greenland
and :. a northern Kan chatcan can partly
understand each others language. Certain
IL Is, that their similarity in physical form
alton, IN character and custom, is striking
ID the extreme. The very words which
travellers employ in describing one race are
those ordinarily used in describing the
other; ~
=. But the 2Laplanders are neither. Tartars
norslpdians; they are Europeans and Chris
tans. They have brown hair, and COM
Plexions bronzed more by smoke and wind
than by the nature of their race. They 90
TO church, and are loyal subjects of their
king-'s They have servants, riches, magis-
tfatess and all the essential features of civ
1'iSed community. Single Laplanders pos
sess as many, as two thousand reindeer.
Lsplanders drink brandy, take snuff, make
cheese, Weaf cloth and ribbons, understand
the rudiments: of mechanical trades, and
glys entertainnepts. tea1a Rude as they are in
manners, costume. and habitations, and
slender as their knowledge is Of ali th;nos
excepting S.he arts Indispensable to ' thsir
own existence, the .Laplanders are fairly en-
titled to rank kzapneng the civilized races Of
the world 5saxI.i "a ~f..;s.r, s-
The ,Esqgimapx. aloneg Of all the Amer:-
Gsat5ibss extend across the entire. cont
hsptA They gccnpy 400 miles of coast,
andsthey areSll Ii alike in language, appear.
~heeeeap'eyment end habits. An Esqui-
panx from AInka an ;Rsquimaux from
sIsA6sadot3 and' '5an ESqahnsux from GGresnm-
land, if they should: Chance TO meet in an
hatH villsgnin .thsswaetsYn, coast ,S5f
BAmFs Bay; w0hla saclf md -hiinself iIter- be
feeyy at hoIne, and eoTApstsni, wit6outsin5
itiation on dnstsnction 10 ,sntsrs into ALI the