Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1891-11-20
THE EsoUIMAU.
An unclvilIzed Race That Behave Bsts
tor Than Many Civilized People.

An Tin civilized Itace That Behave bot,
tor Than Many Civilized People.
A very pleasant and open-hearted
people are these Cape ork Esouimau.
says the Boston Herald. One would
expect to find them gloomy and UNI
happy, like the icy Businesses of their
native Greenland. Their franc OF
mind on the contrary, il very differ
emit When they first sighted the Kito
from their hillside tents they gave her
joyous greeting. "Kymot KymG"
or something resembling that word
they shouted in hearty tones They
seemed TO have no fear that the visit
OF strangers BODIED them ILL
All the time aboard the ship they
were smiling and laughing. These
people have never had any Christian
teachings. and almost the only white
men they ever see arN the whalers.
Yet they are scrupulously honest In
trading with them members OF the ex-
petition passed around among them
needles. knives and many articles as
precious to them as diamonds to an
American. Everything was returned.
All the men aboard the ship who
had been whaling declared that no
Yak had ever been known to take any,
thing that was not his. The whole
forty-eight people swarmed over the
vessel for two days and not single
article was missed.
1t was very different in the Danish
settlements where they have ministers,
bibles. and schools. There everything
was tied up or slowed below as soon
rs any Esquimau came aboard.
There was only one thing that could
have been constructed into theft 40
Cape York. A Yak walked into the,
cooks galley and grabbed piece of
bacon from the pan and deyoured It
In their settlements, however the
food appeared to be common property
"a rule which may prevail during
prosperity. 1t was noticed that they
brought abroad birds and blubber for
sustenauce while they remained on
the ship. but 1t did not seem to be the
exclusive property OF any one Who
ever was hungry helped himself.
Looking at these Esquimaux, who
civilization, who live. as one mighs
say, ION their own hook" one Is
tempted to ask whether the Danish
rule is such beneficient thing for tho
Greenlanders further south. There
does not seem to be SO much happiness
in the latter quarter. The only adj
vantage possessed my the Danish Es-
quimaux is that he has better mar
ket for his goods A few hundred
years OF civilization have not done
much else for him except to give him
liberal strain OF European blood.
What these Cape York Esquimaux
need in a material way Is wood, and
perhaps guns and powder. Cfviliza-
ton can do little else for them. No
signs OF a rebellion could be SEEN but
they evidently have traditions supep-
stitions and perhaps a god, for all
their affairs are well regulated
In the mob OF forty-eight people
all bargaining. there was no instance
of an Esquimau coveting any article
secured by one OF his fellows nor was
there asingle dispute as to property.
On no occasion, as far as seen, did any.
y
Esquimau lose his or her temper. /
The husband and wife seemed to
have separate property. All was nos
owned by the man. Sometimes a wife
went ashore to get fresh articles OF
trade belonging to her husband but
on her return she would never para
with them. however tempting an offer
was made. until she consulted him.
Her own possessions. however. such
as bone, needles. thimbles, necklaces,
ETC., she sold without consulting him.
The bargaining OF tho children foe
their toys was not interfered with In
the least by the old people.
Marriage here does not seem to
have any high moral Significance al
though the couples are very fond OF
each other and are tremendously
proud OF their children.