The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-03-13
hyDsON'S BAY PEOPLE.
Family Life of the Eskimo VINO Dweh
Near the Great Inland Ocean.


In the summer each family has Its
own home, but in winter two or more
families live together for the sake OF IN
creased warmth and economy OF fuel.
Tie summer residence Is a tent made OF
sealskins with the hair scraped OIL, giving
much the appearance OF yellowish parch-
ment. which is stretched over poles OF
driftwood arranged in the ordinary cone
shape. The door always faces toward
the water by whose side they are camped,
and at the opposite side of the tent IL the
bed, composed Of moss covered with
sealskn. As they sleep with head point
ing dOorward, they necessarily lie down
hill. owing to the natural slope Of the
land toward the shore. This does not
seem either q comfortable or healthy po-
sition, but apparently they are none the
worse for it. On either side of the door
way is their larder, consisting of exceed
ingly rcpulsive looking piles Of seal meat
and blubbor, which give forth an odor
that Samson himself, with his hair at its
longest. could hardly wrestle with sue
cessfully, SO Overwhelming is its strength.
The winter habitatlons are made en-
tirely of snow, and are generally built
under the shcltering lee OF a rock, in the
diff that a~ccuInulates there. The buiid-
ers begin by marking out on the snow a
circle about fifteen feet in diameter,
which represents the inner side OF the
walls, and with a saw or long bladed
knife they cut ont blocks Of snow, from
three to six feet long by a foot thick and
high, from inside the circle they have
marked; then, placing the blocks around
the circle, they carry the walls up spir
ally mot in tiers, until they meet IN a
keystone above, at a distance Of about
nine feet from the excavated level Of the
floor. The result l.. except, of course, rs
10 color, the production Of a gigantic bee
hive. over the door or in the center OF the
roof Of which Is set a big block Of fresh
water ice TO serve the purpose of a win
dow in lighting an interior that, although
stainless white at first, Is oon blacLened
by the ever smoking, evil smelling lamps
the inmates use.
The furniture Of these human hives j.
very simple. rs may be readily supposed.
Il consists Of n bel place or diyan along
the side of The ''igloo.' opposite the door,
and two iirepilcos. one on either hand rs
yoU enter. These are made Of firmly
packed snow. and raised about three feet
20 Owe tie floor. the divan having it,
outeg clge faced with a pole TO prevent
it frou crumbiing away when used as "a
enlt in tie dly time. The beds are made
rp in the following manner; Fist, a
ilr,s o. moss spread over the snow; next,
3d. iter of ulskIns; then "a layer of bear
a. i~ skins. and finally the sleeping
ir... which re-Cmble exaggerated pillow
.lip ouly that fur takes the place Of
linen. auI the fur is double, 50 that there
May lc haic both inside and outside.
lu;o these bags. Of which each adult has
one. the Eskimo, stripped 10 the bare
lu4. crecps for the night. and
sleeps very comfortably. Up 10 the
ace of 10 the children share their
parents bag; after that they are pro-
noted To having One Of their own
Their fires are nothing more than
lamp. rudely fashioned out Of sOapstOne,
ana 50 arranged ds 10 ID" ocll-SupplNlllg. Il
mass Cf biubber being hung in such close
prOXimity to the flame that the fat Is
converted into oil, which. dripping into
the bowl below, is consumed by means
Of a moss wick. As the lamp has no
chimney. and both oil and wick are of
tie poorest. the result Is the reverse Of
brilliant. neither light o heat being OBJ
tanned In what we would consider a
satisfactory quantity. Just above
the lamps a sealskin is stretched 10
prevent the heat thawing the roof away,
"a prccaution that seems hardly necessary.
seeing that the ordinary temperature Of
these SHOW huts Is y degs. at the roof
and q dees. at the level Of the beds; IN
other words, from > to y degs. below
freezing point.
la order to keep out as much cold as
possible, the dOorways are very low and
narrow. a fact which explains the curious
phrase with which the hosts speed then
parting guests. namely. ''fabourke aper-
MAX in atit'-that IS: 'Good-by; don't
bump your head. j. Macdonald OXley
IN American Magazine.