The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1884-08-15
ST: DEER LODGE MONTANA, FRIDAY AUGUST 49, 1884
The True Esquimaux.
"iNhat nation of people inhabit the
81

"iVhat nation of people inhabit the
countryp"
1.-The true E-qnimatx They do not
extend into the interior any distance,
but find Their living along and in the
sea. They are truly race OF sea peo-
pie. They have a continual struggle
for existence, and resemble children i'm
their improyidence. II one chances to
secure an unusual supply of food his
friends and neighbors invite themselves
to feast at his expense. and soon it
disappears There is perfect COM
munity of property and food interests
among them. Hospitality is TO them
an unknown virtue. for what is ones
equally belongs to them all. There Is
a village right ut the Point of about
100 souls. and the entire population of
the coast for 600 miles is only 700. The
only animal that can exist with them
is the dog. and they are very scarce.
Yet Notwithstanding all these draw
backs to what we could consider even
mere existence, | think they are the
happiest people on earth. They are
contented with their lot They have
no God, no religion, no government, no
laws, no money, nor any idea of what
1t is, no marriage. and yet they are not
heathenish in the least. They are very
quick witted, and it was not long after
we landed before they were able to
understand our wants by the signs we
made. They speak n tongue the like
of which l never heard anywhere else.
and believe they are indigenous to
the country, a purely ice people, /
do not agree with the theories of
ethnologists respecting their origin,
that they had been driven from their
original homes by stronger race.
They have not yet grown beyond the
stone age, using stone knives, and
other implements. They could have
iron, which is cast up by the sea from
numerous wrecks which it contains,
but the conservative old men refuse 10
use it, holding that it is wrong. So
they do have u sense of moral percep-
ton. This was further shown when it
became necessary for me to change the
law of property. could not of
course, undertake to feed the entire
village from my stores. as they evinced
q unanimous willingness TO have me
do, and at first they threatened to carry
off everything 1 had. But after they
understood that this was not to be al
lowed they always respected nseam ct
tuum.
Their only weapon is spear, of
primitive design and workmanship,
about seven feet long. 1t has an ivory
point, and along its sides three prongs
are set. They are curved and servated
on the lower edge. When they throw
this into flock of ducks, il the point
misses its aim the prongs catch the
secured. They use n hand-board to
accelerate the force and speed of the
weapon, and are able to project 1t 60or
20 yards with great force. At Is yards
they can drive it through man.
ION n trip TO the Meade Mountain
found evidence of Il former population
of whom the present residents have
not even tradition. There were
ruins Of huts centuries old along the
north shore, aud the discoveries
seemed 10 astound the natives who
were with me-"
"How do the Esquimaux compare
with our people in height and fgure?"
81 measured 100 of them. and the
average height was five feet and nine
inches, and 160 pounds rather above
that of average Americans, and / never
saw fat Esquimaux.
What about their habitsl"
well, they don't eat blubber nor
drink whalc-oil. / never heard of q
case of the latter. and blubber is only
eaten to prevent starvation. There has
been a good deal written about the
Arctic regions and the inhabitants
thereof. The stories about their food
are a portion of the romancing in
dulged in. The Esquimaux may slice
a thin piece of blubber and lay it on
his deer meat, the same as we put but
ter ON our bread. but unless he is
starving that is the extent of his use of
it.--LieM. Ray. IN Indianapolis Sun.