The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1872-01-25
LIFE IN GREENLAND.

The life Of the Greenlander must be
very dreary. About the first of October
the last ship leaves for Europe, and from
that time until the next May, they, have
no communication with the civilized
world their year is divided into one long
day and one long night. For mahy
months the sun never sets ; throughout
the twenty-four hours, he is seen describ
ing his brilliant circuit in the northern
skies. 10 July, you watch his descent
toward the horizon till he seems to dip
his golden edge into the sea then, seem
ing to pause in his course for moment,
he mounts again into the heavens. While
we were there, month later, the sun
disappeared for less that four hours |
had watched his setting at 10 p NJ cover
ing tie sea and sky with gold and purple
but the heavens remained bright with
mellow light, by which l read during the
brief night and at l o'clock A. NJ, he
eappeared in glory. This was novelty,
aud | felt free from the sDlvery of hours,
but that rroIon. ed day brought with it
strange excitement. | knew not when to
retire, when to rise. Bells called us to
breakfast, lunch and dinner; bells called
US to repose and aroused US from our fit
iul slumbcr
This lengthy day is followed by an
equally long night, which brings mental
and moral depression. Men are moping,
testy, imaginative, and appear colorless
as potato sprouts growing in a dark eel
lar Even the dogs suffer from the pro.
longed darkness. Yet Greenland is not
without some bountes of Providence
During the brief summer, the valleys are
green with grasses and moses. Some
flowers have been found as far north as
800. OF course there are no forests, but,
as a substitute, quantities of drift wood,
from North American rivers, are gather
ed on coast and used for timber. But if
nature is scanty in her supply, of vegeta
ton, she is abundant in her supply Of
fish, fowl, and beast The waters abound
in salmon, Goldfish, sturgeon, whales, the
walrus aud the SEAL The very air is
sometimes darkened with ducks, geese,
and quail. But the reindeer, the walrus,
the seal, and the bear are Of the greatest
value to the Esqumaux, both for food
and raiment. What the cocoanut. palm,
that tree of hundred uses, is to the peo-
the inhabitants, of Palestine, the reindeer
is to the people OF Greenland. The flesh,
the tongue, the marrow of the bones are
delicaces the blood is a nourishing be-
verage the skin not only furnishes cloth
ing impervious to the cold, but also tents
and bedding; and out of the bones and
horns are made all necessary household
utensils When an Esquimau catches a
reindeer, he has, on four legs, larder
we'll filled, wardrobe well supplied,
huose well furnished.
Next to the deer, the walrus is of most
value to Grecnlanders. 1t was on
bright August day, when for the first
time l sow herd of these immense
beasts. The largest was not less than
twenty feet long. and weighed two thou
sand pound The neck was short and
thick, the head small, the tusks long, and
the feet resembled broad, fin-like pad
dies. When on land their movements
are slow and awkward, but in the water
they move with great rapidity and pow
er When pursued by the hunter, they
display almost human Intelligence
When 10 winter the walrus comes out of
the water, he breaks up the ice with an
explosive puff which can be heard for
miles. In the meantime the hunter is
lying on the ice waiting for favored mo
ment. His instrument Of attack is large
harpoou, to which is fastened a strong
line, of many fatboms length, made OF
of walrus hide. The other end of the line
is fastened to rod of bone pointed with
iron, to be driven into the ice. The mo-
nent comes. The wal1us ries breast high
above the ice, and looks around as If half
suspicious that some foe is nigh. In an
instant the hunter is on his feet, and the
harpoon is buried under the filpper OF the
breast. With desperation the walrus
plunges beneath the water, and the hun
ter drives the ron-pointed rod into the
solid ice, which holds the line securely.
Finding himself fast, the wounded beast
comes TO the surface again, looks around,
observes where the the stick is that holds
tight the line, again descends, comes up
and breaks the ice just where the staff
had been planted but. knowing the Gun
ming of the walrus, the hunter has hauled
in his line aud planted his stick in an
other place. And thus the struggles goss
on between skill and force, till the beast
Al.