Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1891-11-20
THE ESoUIM Az.
An TN al vilized Race That Behave Bot.
ter Than Many CiviliIsd People.

An TN al vilized Race That Behave bot.
ter Than Many CiviiiEed People
A very pleasant and open hearted
people are these Cape y ork Esouimau,
says the Boston Herald Ono would
expect to find them gloomy and I'M
happy like the lev Businesses of their
native Greenland. Their framo Of
mind on the contrary, is very differ
emit When they first sighted the Kite
from their hillside tents they gave her
a joyous greeting. "Kymo! Kymol"
or something resembling that word
they shouted in hearty tones They
seemed 10 have no fear that the visit
OF strangers BODIED them i'll.
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 are the wha!ers.
Yet they arc scrupulously honest In
trading with them members OF the ex-
petition passed around among them
needles, knives and many articles az
precious 10 them as diamonds to an
American. Eve thing 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 tho
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 M or slowed below as soon
as any Esquimau came aboard
There was only one thing that could
have been constructed into theft at
Cape York. a Yak walked into the
cooks galley and grabbed piece of
bacon from the pan and devoured 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
sustenance while they remained on
the ship. but it did not seem TO be the
exclusive property OF any one. Who
ever was hungry helped himself
Looking at these Esquimaux, who
are entirely beyond the influence OF
civilization who live as one might
say, ION their own hook" one is
tempted to ask whether the Danish
rule is such benefcient 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 a better mar
] l. - l. 10 IL \
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. Civiliza-
ton can do little else for them. No
Isigns OF q rebellion could be seen, bun
they evidently have traditions super,
stitions and perhaps 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 q single dispute as to property.
On no occasion, as far as seen, did my
Esquimau lose his or her temper.
The husband and wife seemed 10
have separate property. All was not
owned by the man. Sometimes wife
went ashore to get fresh articles Of
trade belonging TO her husband. bun
on her return she would never part
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 the children for
their toys was not interfered with in
the least by the old people.
Marriage here does not seem 70
have any high moral significance, al
though the couples are very fond OF
each other and are tremendously
proud OF their children.