The Brookhaven leader. [volume] (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1883-1891, 1884-03-06
A DesOlatiOn-Tbe Inu.

signal station at Point Barrow, thuS de-
scribes the ipeople among whom, and
the country in which, for two years, his
lot was cast:
The village consists of few scatter
ing dwellings built in an uncouth and
prim tive manner, and contains about
$50 people. They belonged to a tribe
of Esquimaux, or, as they call them
selves, Inu.s The word "Esquimaux"
was practically unknown to the natives,
it having been applied to them by the
French, when early expeditions were
sent to discover the North Pole. The
natives do not show a vestige of having
made any attempts at civilization, al
though they are quiet and inoffensive
lot of people. In fact, during his entire
stay of two years among them, Lieuten-
ant Ray says he never knew one of them
to quarrel with another. nor even saw a
child punished. In this respect n les
son might be learned by the more pre-
tentious people Of civilized count les.
They are not the fat, greasy-looking
race pictured by some historians, al
though robust and healthy. The aver
age weight of the men is about l5S and
of the women about 13O pounds. They
have a lighter complexion than the
North American Ind an, and ark-brown
eyes. As a rule they are of low stature,
not exceeding five feet and four inches
in height. Men, women and children
dress alike, their garb being construct
ed of deerskins sewed together with a
thong of hide. The greatest objection
to them is their uncleanly HABITS, none
Of them ever venturing to take a bath.
The filth of their infancy is buried with
Them.
The stories told of them about eating
blubber and fish fat are untrue, nor do
they drink oil, or eat any more fat than
the average inhabitant of Missouri.
They often suffer terribly from hunger,
and are reduced to eating raw walrus
hide, but they willingly share their last
mouthful w tn a total stranger. They
arc continually struggling for an exist
ence. and live with no other purpose in
life than to keep from starving to death.
And vet they are seemingly happy, put
ting but little faith in what is told them
of better land and a happier life. They
are born and reared in life of extreme
hardship, suffer untold tortures from
cold and starvation, and pass away in
happiness. They have little or no re-
ligion, no government, no CONNER s.
nothing, in fact, but miserable exist
ence.
They have learned to use whisky and
tobacco, and are very fond of both. they
having been initiated into the practice of
the habits of civilza ion by the
whalerS Men, women and children
L I l.
has seen a two-months-old baby awake
from its slumber, but immediately lapse
upon quid of navy-plug being placed
in its mouth. An old luaw VII strut
about with y quid in the SIDE of either
cheek, one sight of which would br ng
blush of shame to any 'ack-tar. After
she has thoroughly extracted all the
Juice she sticks pieces of the weed behind
her ears and dries them out for her lord
and master to smoke. As race,
though, they are rapidly fading away,
and in a comparatively short time will
probably become extinct. In distance
of700miles along he northern coastthcre
are less than 400 natives. None Of these
live in the interior, as there is nothing
on which they can suhSist, but are at
tered along the shore, and spend their
time in hunting and fishing. In the
little village of Oogloomie there we G
eighteen deaths and only two births in
two years, the cause of the deaths being
almo entirely from pneumonia. They
have no fires whatever, as there is moth
ing to burn but oil, and in the winter
time they are forced to huddle together
in order to keep warm.
The huts of the village are all built of
wood and are the remains of wrecked
vessels which washed ashore. In 1871
thirty three YES els were wrecked along
the coast, comprising almost the entire
New Bedford whaling fleet. Last yea"
the steamer North Star. of New Bed
ford, was caught in the ice and sank in
twenty minutes. Fortunately it hap
pened within sight of the station. and
Lieutenant Ray and his men saved the
ent re crew, took them ashore, and
cared for them month, when assist
ance arrived. In 1877 twelve whal-
ing-vessels were sighted in the ice
by the natives, but they disappeared
and their crews of eighty men were
never seen again. Lieutenant Ray and
his command ar. the only party that
CNtI pdooCu al WIN auC uoeifC>s
In 1854 Captain Mcclure, of the En-
glish navy, was caught in the ice off
FONT Barrow while commanding the
Plover on an expedition sent to search
for Sir John Franklin, but he remained
on board the ship.
The kcountry is an absolute desert
without the slightest vestige of timber
or underground. For distance of 200
miles from the shore the land is covered
with a peculiar kind of moss, which
thaws out in the summertime to the
depth of about ten or twelve inches.
There are no other signs of veg, tation.
and in the winter there is no animal
life. 1t is one of the most barren and
desolate region on the face of the
earth. IT is very healthy and pleasant
climate, despite the extreme cold. Tie
seasons are very peculiar. May 23 the
sun rose and did not set again for sew
enty-two days, it being delightful sea-
son of continuous sunligt. November
l6, however. it setyand for like period
of seventy-two days there was almost
perpetual darkness. Chicago Tribune
"A Bridgeport Comm dead-beat