The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-08-22
Habits of the EskimOs.

Let us examine the more immediate
environment of the Eskimo--theirh house.
It is composed of hillock of turfed
earth, of square form, recalling some
what our military Notifications. 1t is
entered by low door giving access to
a narrow and very low passage, in which
the Greenlander himself, notwithstand-
ing his small size, is forced to bend
down. The single apartment to which
this passage gives access, and the floor
ground, is ventilated by an orifice in the
upper part. 1t is lighted by two open
ings on each side of the door and her
metically closed by strips sewn together
of sort of goldbeater's skin made of
the intestines of the seal. This kind OF
immovable glazing Sits into the apart
ment sufficient light, but appears
from without altogether opaque. The
furniture consists of sort of campbell
which occupies the entire half of the
apartment, provided with sealskins, and
on which the entire family pass the
night, after having taken off their day
costume, and put on another more am
pie dress. On the ground stone basin,
said to be of serpentine, the form of
which resembles that of fish, is filled
with seal oil, in which are stepped sew
eral wicks. The flame which rises from
this vessel gives sufficient light, and
maintains the confined space at high
temperature. The cotton wicks come
from Denmark, as also the chemical
matches which the Greenlanders con-
stantly use to light their briar-root
pipes, which, with their tobacco, their
alcohol, and their coffee, are sent them
each year by the Danes.
Their costume is made almost entirely
of sealskin. 1t consists, in the case eff
the men, of a shirt (Danish), above
which is placed a woolen vest. The pam
falcons are of hairy sealskin; the boots,
under the pantaloons, of sealskin leather.
Gloves of fur, armed, when necessary,
with bears claws, blue spectacles-
against the wind and the reflection from
the snow-complete the accoutrement.
The costume of the women is not want
ing in elegance. The hair is raised la
Ghinoise on the top of the head, and
bouLd into sort of vertical chignon,
tied by a colored knot. A well-ftting
blouse of European material, trimmed
with fur, is provided with a hood, in
which the mother carries, when neces-
sary, her latest born, as the opossum
does her young. The women wear very
| tight breeches of sealskin and high
boots reaching above the knees; red,
embroidered with yellow, after marriage;
white, embroidered with green, among
unmarried girls.
Their arms consist of bows with which
they shoot arrows pointed with bone or
iron and similarly madeharpoons, which
they throw from the hand. When the
harpoon is to be thrown into the water
it is attached to cord provided at the
other end with an inflated seal-bladder
which acts as buoy and prevents the
loss of the wounded animal, which
would run away into deep water with
their harpoon. Their other apparatus
are iron sh.hooks, wooden bats repre-
senting fish, colored. and very well imi-
tated. To these we may add cases of
skin which they put on the paws of the
dogs when the cold is very intense;
leathern muzzles to put over the snout
of the dogs, smoothing irons of stone,
knives identical with those which iron
tanners use to dress skins, and intended
for the same purpose. This will give an
idea of all that the Greenlanders have tC
help them to struggle against the in
clemency of their native climate.
Before concluding what relates to the
surroundings, one word about the ali
mentation. The word Eskimo is not tn
name which they give to themselves
They call themselves Innuit (tbe men)
so true is it that under all climates hu
man vanity prevails. The name Eskim
(eater of raw fish, is a nickname givel
them by their American neighbors. 1t
not, however, SO well merited now as
was last century, at the time whe
Crantz observed them. They continue
nevertheless, to eat the lard sent then
from Denmark and also the lines of tn
seal. The rest is eaten cooked. Ma
ture.