Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1891-12-24

But it was Of no use for Joe to try
to persuade his companions that the
mysterious Santa Claus had followed US
up from the temperate zone. They in
sisted upon it that it was none other than
Lieutenant Schwatka and myself who put
the things there, though they we're quite
willing to believe that our supply came
from supernatural sources.
Our good cheer was not postponed to
dinner time, but we Jared sumptuously
all day long. For breakfast there was
reindeer liver fried with pork, and "lob-
skowse," the sauce for the latter being
made by mixing molasses with melted
oleomargarine. Dinner consisted of
boiled salmon with melted oleomargarine
sauce, fried reindeer steaks and pork and
slapjacks with sauce similar to that
made for "skowse."
But poor old Esquimau Joe seemed
to miss the Chistmas tree and said it "no
likee Keesmiss without Keesmiss Tree"
"Never mind, Joe," said Henry. "Wat-
chow Santa Claus kyete." (By and by
Santa Claus will come.)
During the afternoon Henry disap-
peared, saying that he was going to make
some calls upon Armow, the chief of the
village, and others. He had been absent
about an hour when suddenly there was a
great noise out doors. The dogs set up a
chorus of howls, and in the midst of it all
we heard great shout and recognized
Henrys voice, saying;
"Termokermink kylow. Santa Claus
kyete shoukully." Come out every
body. Santa Claus is coming right
away.)
We all rushed out upon the ice and
looked in the direction toward which
Henry was pointing, and soon saw COM
ing down the hillside sled drawn by a
dozen dogs that were dashing at full
speed over the hard surface of the snow.
On the sled sat big man clad in white
fur robes and swinging his long-lashed
dog-whip furiously as he urged the ami
mails on with voice of thunder that still
sounded much like Armow's.
The sled stopped just at the door of
our tent, and up jumped Armow, covered
from head to foot with a huge polar bear
skin. On the sled were two large bags
made of walrus hide, from one of which
this Arctic Santa Claus took handsfuls of
hardtack which he scattered right and
left among the crowd as preliminary
largess.
The delighted natives scrambled for
these piecesof ships biscuit with as much
pleasure and avidity as ever crowd of
civilized urchins did for candy or money.
When this part of the performance was
concluded he opened the other bag, and,
calling in loud voice, "Iguarktoo- Aloo!"
which is Lieutnant Schwatka's Esquimau
name, handed out a handsome brand-new
suit of fur clothing to our astonished and
delighted commander.
"Keertoriak- -Aloo!" he called next, and
the writer recognized the name by which
he was known to his savage friends. He,
too, received handsome fur suit.
"Henelly!' again shouted Santa Claus,
and Henry stepped forth toreceive SIM
liar gift, and then he called plank" which
meant Frank, and he, too, was presented
with warm winter costume.
Epy-eping (Esquimau joel, Toolooah,
Ishuark, Eekeesik, Owanork, Neepshark,
Koomana, and, in fact, every member of
the tribe got something. The men re-
ceived hunting knives, snow knives, to-
bacco and ammunition, while the women
got chopping knives, needles, thread,
thimbles, matches and the like. Then
Henry cooked big pot of lobskowse
with molasses, and, taken altogether,
there never was another such Christmas
Day in Esquimaux land.