Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1885-11-14
ESKIMO COSTUMES AND CUSTOMS.
How tho Bellies and Beaux OF the
Far North Dress.

States, some very interesting items -
"In the entire journeys OF an Arctic
land travelling party the ways and HE
of the Eskimos should be adopted and
faithfully followed, sleeping only in
snow houses at night. The success Of
an expedition and the health of party
depend upon this mode. Had the
English expeditions travelled in this
way, instead of carrying cumbersome
tents which protected them but little,
too, from the cold and scurvy. fewer
deaths and less disease would have
invaded their heroic bands.
1t is possible to rest and be warm in
"A snow house well built, the construc-
of which requires about one or one and
one half hours time, thus providing
place to eat d good meal, crack good
Joke and to dry the clothes needed for
the next days travel, while the Eng
lish plan was to drag heavy sledges
with heavier tents loaded upon them,
in which it was difficult to keep the
temperature high enough to escape be-
| ing frozen, a temperature which did
not then permit clothes to become dry,
or the body warm.
George Rice, most talented and
valuable member OF the Greely expc-
| dition, says in reference to the houses
of the Eskimos:-
| '.They live in iglOOs or huts. The
hut is built of turf, moss or stone, and
is entered by long, narrow low pass
age or tunnel, SO low that one is COM
PEELED to crawl OH hands and feet,
most disagreeable and humiliating pro-
ceeding; as the dogs and natives (not
much better in point of c'eanliness)
also have ingress and egress through
the same vestibule. The small interior
hole is used for living, eating and
sleeping room.
1 ne mistress of the house, in an ex-
tremely dirty costume, sits on the shelf
. or platform on which they, also, sleep.
The room is too low to admit Of stand
q ing upright. No stove or fireplace can
be seen; as substitute there is IL hol-
lowed stone used as a lamp with seal
:, oil for fuel and moss for wick. The
! atmosphere of the room was Sitting
; and nauseatipg from the odOr of seal
n skin strewn around. The sleeping ar
rangemcnts are most simple. A plat
:. form about two feet high and extend
|. ing from the wall about six feet Occu-
: pied one side of the room. This is the
receptacle of skins and furs during the
n tlay and when the natives retire they
= make il general couch, each disciple
r. of Morpheus drawing over himself or
a herself as many of the skins as are neces-
n sary for comfort. The windows are
- made of the membraneous tissue OF the
y stomach of the seal. This substance
,t when oiled becomes almost as trans
/, parent as glass.
- The above description represents the
~ ~ habitatioH of the poorer classes Some
=. OF the natives live in much better
n dwclings." =.
"a "Dr. Pavy says:-"The governors
~, house, at GOdhavn, Disco Island. is q
large two story. we'll built house, in
n. which is to be found piano, billiard
r. room and thu inevitable fancy work,
E the manufacture of which (though it
Il. requires 'deft fngers) does not fail
y. even in this cold and barren country.
ad The governor also has an organette,
al which DIR. Pavy took to him from
nd Washington City. The governor had
m, it placed in the Lutheran church. To
,st the natives, the most surprising curl
il. osity is this organette with its mechan-
&C. ical automatic music 'long drawn OUT
,Iv They have heard the music OF the
,HS, piano, for the daughter of the gover-
tnr nor plays we'll, and is under the in
Ea siruction of her mother, an accomplish
on ed lady who was educated in Paris and
IL London, and long resident of her
m native metropolis, Copenhagen.
he But to the natives, seeing a long per-
hle forated piece Of paper revolve and
seem to produce music is much beyond
;ol, their conception. Imagine prayer in
i i.v church followed by Nancy Lee,' OF
;es LAST Rose of Summer ground out in
red heightened sweetness.
ak. The Eskimos are given to dancing
Id. They are indeed very enthusiastic de-
.di. votees to Terpsichore. Different colori
of worn at the dance show the grade oi
a, t6nSv. nsNds Ynr
.ich standing"
To- Lieut.. Lockwood says:-"The cloth
ne ing is mostly of fur. The male cos
of tune consists of seal skin pants; q fu
md garment, which we would call shir
mr. and is made of dogskin with the ful
iaI surface next to the body for warmth
nth Over this is similar garment of sea
hv skin with the fur outside and hOO(
,tor attached-as warm a costume as on
on can imagine: also, seal skin moccasins
lelv or boots, lined with dog skin and hav
v ing an outer boot of bear skin are worn
,wn During the fall and spring the bucl
skin suit is all sufficient under a soldiers
.o, blouse.
ro" The nose protectors used in winter
bese made on many buck skin suits for tn
Arctic climate, should not be used, a
,plv anything that confines the moisture o
as the breath does harm instead of good
,nse On this account one in the Arctic re
eral gions must wear his beard and mus
ans tache clipped short.
pri- Sergt. Geo. Rice says of the femal
and ostume:-'.The costume of the Eski
ense mo women is so nearly like that of tn
.eak men that at first glance it is difficult L
and distinguish the sexes. The women
ense however, as all the world over, dres
II in in a more pleasing manner than tn
ming men. The costume generally consist
the of pair of dainty boots of dresse
ere. seal skin, with hlgh leather tops. STAN
ans cd different cOlOrs, ana Ornamente
ling with small pieces cut Ill fancy 10rm'
,eem which reach above the knee. The
ltent come the pantaloons or trunks, also {
:, to seal skin, but with the fur. on. Thes
Dun- are very short, reaching hardly ha
mar way down the thigh where they me-
lden the boots or leggins. Down the Gel
the ter of the trunk is usually sewed
,ures fancy stripe or band of red leather o
1t namented and giving the wearer q SO
that of military air. The upper part of Il
i'm body is covered by loose fitting CO.
Duld, sack or smock, devoid of button
care which is pulled on ever the head al
enius is fastened at the neck in the bac
come An attached hood can be drawn ov
from the head, or allowed to fall back on Il
II to shoulder, at Will. A pair OF the afo
,rld's mentioned trunks or pantalOOns is Il
or to only part OF the costume worn usual
8 the in the huts by the women. They II
ected their toes sometimes to adjust the m
terias upon which they work, al
d to hence work with greater facility th
lagos iftrammeled with clothing. The dres
, the ing OF the head Is most remarkabl
ter a The hair is arranged in monumeI
tiOns al knot, which projects perpendicular
that from the head, aud Is bound with on
,gard ferent colored ribbons or leather. u
ITS to color OF the rlDDOn denotcs
peni- domestic standing of the wea
say, er. Maldens wear white emp
with matte of purity. On marriage tn
t the don red Widows use sombre blac
been and the unfortunate maiden who
emily erring feet have strayed from the pat
,,lncn | of uiriua Is cnmnallad to acknnWle1