The Red Cloud chief., 1889-10-18
LIFE IN
Land Without doctors or Lswyers-IlOw
the Natives Live.


4 land Without Doctors or Lawyers-HOW
h Natives Live.
The manner OF subsistence OF all the
Indians and half-breed population Of
Labrador is practically the same. The
Montagnais and Nasquapees live in
lodges the year round. whether in the
interior or upon the coast The Esqui-
maUx generally live in igloes. a sort
OF tu~rf-covered wigwam. when in the
interior. and when AT the missions in
rude huts modelled after the igloe:
while the few remaining inland hunt
ing Indians seldom appear upon the
coast, unless driven in by famine, or
when they come to the villages to bar
ter. when they bring all their belong
ings down the rivers and in cts in
open boats. camping at night under
sealskin tents. The coast Labrador
ians. and there are not six hundred
others. are occupied in sealing in the
early spring; they fish in the summer.
hunt and trap in the winter: and -these
occupations are common to all. includ-
ing half-breeds and whites, There is
nothing else TO be done. whatever the
ability or inclination.
In the extreme north the clothing
is exclusively sealskin: and on the
south shore the attire is a cOmbina-
ton of sealskin and fustian. the
latter being especially priced for
withstanding the cruel winds and
storms OF the region. The num-
Der of stockings worn by these
folks is often astonishing. Four, five.
and sometimes a half dozen. are used
inside their sealskin boots. There is
nothing striking about the dress Of
the few white women who are here.
save that they remind one. in the
mountain of clothing they bundle up
on themselves. of the tremendous
skirts OF the women of Irish Come
mara But the Indian women Of the
South and the Esquimaux women Of
the North are wonderfully aparalleled.
Any thing they a get their hands
upon possessing gorgeous color is
used for decoration. They almost
equal American women in this respect.
Perhaps this is more noticeable among
the women of the St. Lawrence coast
than with the Northern Esquimaux.
The dress of the latter usually con-
sists of huge sealskin boots. petit
coats. a sealskin garment covering the
whole person from the neck to the
knees. trimmed with white fur. a cap
envelOping the entire head. and a sort
Of baggy cape or hood hanging down
the back, in which their fat little
babies are carried. The cradle is
unknown among the Esquimaux: but
the universal tendency of all mothers
to bounce. sway and heave about
the helpless infants is illustrated
here in the digging" OF the Esquimau
child in its aerial cradle. Walking or
sitting. the Esquimau mother has an
endless movement. like that of an old
tar under a heavy sea. 1t is a with
ing, weaving. swaying motion which
can not be adequately described. But
it sufices. and the ia. mother gets a
gOOi deal of exercise out Of it, what
ever the effect upon the baby.
Only among the half breed women
are there forms and faces that are at
tractive as civilized folk judge these
things. The compensation is here.
however. for nearly all Esquimau
women will measure in girth what
they will in height. and all forms Of
fat represent the Labradorian idea OF
both utility and beauty. At child
bearing their " women of1ciate as
midwives. and they get along very
we'll in every respect without a physi-
clan. There is not a resident doctor
in Labrador. nor for that matter a
lawyer. and our Understanding friend
regards this fact as a ~forceful argu-
ment against American high-pressure
civilization and Boston ethical culture.
Edgar L. Wakeman, in Troy (N. ~
Times