The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1891-12-05
UP IN oREENLANp.
Religion and Grim. Amoas tina natives
OF That Northsrn Lsoi.


Religion and CrIm~ Amoas the natives
Of That Nerth.sn LsOL
A good deal was learned about thu
urtives OF Greenland on tho second
visit OF the members OF the Kite cxpe-
ditioL 70 Godhayen. Though sup
posed to % Christians the church
.nse--i..ey have not that obedience
10 this Z. ced that won't bc necessary
10 qualify them for church member
ship In America. The doctrine OF
original sin they decline absolutely to
accept says the Chicago Times mud
they refuse also TO believe In u hell
not surprising. considering the tenn
perature OF Greenland. Gov. Cars,
tens impaired this Information abous
original sin In Mortified tones He
was scandallzed when he learned that
OF the party 10 whom he was speak
ing not one believed In 1t either
Sun and moon and great spirit are
the trinity they worship. Not far
from Godhaven Is cave which no
Esquimau passes without throwing In
some article oven II 1t Is only hunk
OF blubber TO appease tho great spirit
IL was suggested that this would b.
the place for the expedition TO acquire
relics IL the cave could DO found.
In former years the Esquimaux
buried with their dead the kayak and
spear II the deceased was a man and
the household implements II u woman.
Utilitarian ideas probably did away
with this waste OF personal property.
At the present time the Esquimaux
go to the Danish churches for tho
benefit OF the music and singing which
they greatly enjoy. In reiy,on rs in
everything else. they appear to DO
governed by their own traditions.
Mr.. Carstens said that In Green
land there is really no law. and it Is
impossible to iniiict any punishment
except small fines or minor depriva-
tons. II one Esluimaux killeI an
other. or IL member OF tho Kite ex-
petition slaughtered u native or fellow
member ashore. the Danish govern
ment would be helpless.
Three murders are on re ord in
Greenland. A wicked Esluimaux in
his kayak overlook an oomiak or big
skin barge. manned by women. and
wickedly cut u big hole in the bottom.
drowning the nine occupants. Moth
ing could be done about it, His fellow
Esuuimaux took no action with view
10 getting even, and he Is going around
just the Same without much OF o blem-
ish on his record.
You could find him in the Omonal
Froid," said Mr.. Carsteus III any
OF you gentlemen care to h,nt him up
you Gun shoot him II you like. He vol
dc crves it. Greenland has no cxecu-
ticner. The inspector cant go around
hanging people. Neither the gov
ernor nor myself wants the job. No
Esquimau could be induced TO do it.
Mr.. Carstens had noted DIR. Keely's
anxiety to get an Esquimau skeleton.
and especially urged the job upon
him.
The second murder was one OF in
fanticide. The third was the killing
OF an insane girl. The young woman
was quite obstreperous and the Esqui-
maux held a meeting and decided that
they wouldn't stand it any longer
The doctor had given one OF them
some carbolized oil for external pur-
poses only. They administered n
teaspoonful Of it to the girl and she
became crazier than ever. When sho
subsidized they decided to bury her.
When the doctor looked into the mat
ter he decided that she had been bur-
led alive. Nothing was done about II.
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