Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-12-11
THE EsQuIMAux.

Summary of Lieutenant schwatka,s Oh
E.ervations Among This Northern People.
Lieutenant Schwatka describes mapv
Interesting customs of the Esquimaux,
Deserved in his Arctic explorations.
Fhey live in small scattered commune
les in ice-houses called iqloos, and are
Constantly shifting from Old to newly
constructed villages. These little com
aunities are entirely Independent, and
ave little communication with one an
ther; The people have nothing re.
embllng organized government. The
ia men OF a tribe are its counsellors.
III thelr authority, though usually re-
pecteo, Is IN no sense obligatory. The
tapie 1000 is the flesh of the elk and
ne s'al, which is eaten o%ftener frozen
mar cooked. The fresh blood Of newly
E!aln game is keenly relished; but the
post delicious luxury is obtained bv
penlng the bodies of young animals
illed Immediately after have filled
hem7eiEes with their mothers milk
nd drinking the hot milk from their
Eomachs.
If strangers approach an Esquimaux
dllage the inhabitants disappear in
heir aSloos and send out their old wom-
Nd u to meet them. They make no pre-
M ense OF disgusting their reasons for this
Msn.tom, namely, that, of all their people,
NJ he old women are Of feast account, and,
anybody is to be killed, they IAN be
Rnost conveniently spared. If the old
women return with messages of peace,
he strangers are at once admitted to the
Eospitalities of the community; but il
the old women are killed or
Etriven in, the people prepare for battle
ind fight with desperation. This sci.
Eom occurs, because animosities be.
ween the tribes rarely result in hostili
Mes. and the natives are never injured
@@v civilized foreigners.
There is no punishment for crime,
pienses of all kinds are of infrequenl
Occurrence, and are generally con.
Soned by some trifing com.
Iensation to the sufferer. If murder il
committed the criminal is required by
!: he old men to paw to the widow,
relatives OF his victim, a penalty con.
! sting of a prescribed quantity of meat
:, nd skins. If he refuses to pay this
, Fenatty, he is in disgrace and suffers
ocial ostracism, which subjects him ia
nch Inconvenience that, usually, he is
: speedily subjugated, and upon compli-
. nee is restored to respectability.
8 Marriage is sacredly binding upon tho
I Fife, but the husband may, at pleasure,
bodily her marital obligations or di.
a orce her absolutely. The Esquimau
7 unter takes his wife and children
: 18th him wherever he goes. He under.
axes no expedition for hunting or any
/ .her purpose requiring an absence Of
. lore than nj day, unaccompanied by
: is entire family. Lieutenant Schwatks
: Elates an amusing incident illustrative
both this custom and the marital
ractices of these primitive people.
chwatka was about starting on q trir
rquiring an absence ofsome weeks from
is camp, which was in one of the ma.
We villages.
10, his Esquimau guide, was to pilot
be expedition. 10 had a wife and
: Even children. But 10 refused to 90,
r n any terms, unaccompanied by his
j, 2mily. Presently it was remembered
! lat 10 had a personal friend in the VII.
, tge who had q wife and no children.
ind after some diplomacy it was ~.
7 hinged that, for the purpose, and dur.
: Pc the term Of this expedition, 10 and
i, lis friend should swap wives; and &C.
nrdingly JOS wife and her seven chill.
: ren remained with his friend. and the
! Ficnd's wife went with 10. Upon theil
{: eturn they snapped back, and the for
: per relations were happily resumed.
The EsquimauX, as the ages pass,
either increase nor diminish in mum
: ers. Their civilization neither de-
ines nor advances. They are of nc
, aluc to the world, but they do nc
} arm. Their country being worthless,
acir possession will never be disturbed.
) Indianapolis Sentinel.