The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1877-03-24
Ghines sbraad.
AN ESKIMO WEDDING.

AN bbAlMO W hUDlnd'
A voyager in the hyperborean region:
relates the incidents OF visit to the Aleu-
tian, or Fox Islands. As good fortune
would have it, his party arrived at the
time of celebrating the nuptials Of the
daughter of the chief. The chieftain was
a man of Herculean build, broad and well
knit frame, and complexion far more fair
than the bronzed and weather-beaten faces
of our people. His features were of the
Indian type, but also had certain light
of intelligence which, naturally enough,
accounted for the almost abject manner in
which his followers obeyed his slightest
behest. The daughter was comely wo-
man of some eighteen summers, or more
properly, winters. Her features were Of
the Indian, oval cast, prominent cheek
bones, small, firm, welldefned chin, and a
most bewitching mouth, containing dis
play Of teeth of unusual whiteness and
uniformity. The chief urged the captain
of the ship and his company to attend the
celebration. The latter landed and were
escorted in sort of triumphal procession
to the chiefs residence. This consisted
of square hole in the ground some thirty
feet each way, from the sides of which
were built up walls of mud and stone to
the height of four feet, on which rested
the roof, a network of whale-bone inter
laced by strings Of hide from non-fur bear
ing seals, forming light, yet perfectly
dry covering. In the centre was a square
aperture for the exit of smoke, and the
thousand and one nauseating smells incl
dent to an Eskimo residence. In the CEN
tire of the floor, and directly under tho
aperture in the roof, was a blazing fire of
the same material as those outside, but on
u raised hearth Of stone, serving alike the
purpose of light and heat. Around the
sides were arranged the hunks or sleeping
places of the chief, his daughter, and body
guard of ten picked men. A screen or
curtain made from what thought had
once been ships table-cloth denoted the
lady's quarters, while the Others were sim
ply rude shake-downs OIL whalebone frames,
being used as chairs, tables, or beds, as re-
quired. All the paraphernalia Of the
hunting and fishing business was strewn
about on walls and floor, as if carelessly
thrown aside until required, and of such
infinite number and variety as to require
the exercise of great care in order not to
trample on or fall over them. Having
rested and regaled ourselves with hot rum,
of which the chief and party partook CO.
piously, we were informed that the cere-
mony of Nekachkdete, or the interchange
of property between the contracting par
ties and their parents, was about to take
place. Accordingly we emerged from the
low, dog kennel-lke door into the cool,
clear air, glad indeed to be free from the
poisonous vapors inside, and wended our
way to the council chamber, which con-
sisted of circular wall of snow some seven
feet high, the snow being taken from the
inside of the circle to build the walls. In
the centre of the circle was placed the
property belonging to the bridegroom, con-
sistiug of two canoes, spears, bows and ar
rows, u rife with broken lock, eighteen
otter skins, sixty fur sealskins, an army
overcoat, fishing tackle, and seven hun
dred pounds Of walrus tusks, the whole
representing in value some six hundred
dollars. These, by the cauons of the faith,
must be duplicated by the parents of the
bride, in order to induce the bridegroom
to undertake so difficult a task as the main.
tenance Of family in those regions Ac-
cordingly, there soon entered a train of
men, bearing as near as could be dupli-
cate of each article in the group, but as
some difficulty was found to duplicate the
army overcoat, we gladly passed in our
enormous plug hat to make up the collec.
ton. The advent of the bell-topper was
received with universal joy by the crowd,
and it was the cause Of the most ludcrous
actions ever beheld. One lady insisted
on putting her baby into it, while another
said it was for drinking purposes, a third
thought it was boot, while all agreed that
it was wonderful affair, as it was, for it
had done service for our local minstrel
stage for years, and came aboard packed
with one of the mems washing on leaving
San Francisco.
The question Of dover being settled be-
tween the parents, it became necessary to
trot out the happy fair one under United
States Army blanket, where she had been
seated. She proceeded to inspect each ar
ticle Of the groom's portion with critical
eye; when she came to the hat she laughed
outright, and, turning to our interpreter,
asked its use on being told, she put it on
her head and retained it throughout the
ceremony. The groom now appeared, fol-
lowed by his brothers and sisters, all of
whom embraced the bride in kindly man
ner, and passed such compliments as we're
BETTING; then pause by common consent;
death-like silence reigned, broken only
by the roar of the surf or the cry of the
Onalaska wolf, and occasionally the howl
Of the Artic wolf in the far interior. So
oppressive in fact was the silence that il
was with feeling of relief we noticed
breaking away at the main entrance, and
watched the crowd grovel on the ground
in all conceivable shapes. Shortly there
entered, in perfect silence, q cortege draw
ing dog-sled, in which was seated the
high priest of the tribe, and more villain.
ous-looking object never beheld. He
was stripped to tho waist, and was smeared
with oil and coloring matter in stripes
which gave him the appearance of Chi
nese joss; on his head was tiara of bears
claws, surmounted by an enormous polar
bears head. On his shoulders were placed,
erect on end, two large walrus tusks, fan.
cifully decorated with strips of red flannel,
which had been obtained from the cloth
ing of drowned sailor washed ashore.
The lower part of the body was covered
with otter-skins, over which we're spread
number of young seals, all alive and
barking; in the right hand he held a spear,
which he waved aloft in theatrical man
ner, while with his left he motioned to the
bride and groom to approach him. The
whole concourse arose, aud with shouts of
gladness capered around the priests char
lot. This he submitted to for space Of
ten minutes; then, impcriously waving his