The Portland daily press., 1891-12-24
HOW THE EsKIMos LIVE.
They Are Uncivilized. but They Can
Give Points to Many a Civilian.

Thew Are Uncivilized. but They Can
Give Points to Many a Civilian.
A very pleasant and openhearted peo-
ole are these Cape York Eskimos. One
would expect to find them gloomy and
unhappy, like the icy Businesses of their
native Greenland. Their frame of mind,
on the contrary, is very different. When
they first sighted the Kite from their
hillside tents they gave her q joyous
greeting. ''Kymol Kymo~ or some
thing resembling that word, they shouted
In hearty tones. They seemed to 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 whalers. Yet they are
scrupulously honest. In trading with
them members of the expedition 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 anything 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 There everything was tied
up or slowed below as soon as any Es-
kimo came aboard.
There was only one thing that could
have been construed 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. It was
noticed that they brought aboard birds
and blubber for sustenance while they
remained on the ship, but it did not
seem to be the exclusive property of any
one. Whoever was hungry helped him.
self.
Looking at these Eskimos, who are en-
tirely beyond the influence Of. civiliza-
ton, who live, as one might say, con
their own hook" one is tempted TO ASH
whether the Danish ruler is such bene-
ficent thing for the Greenlanders far
Their south. There does not seem to be
so much happiness in the latter quarter.
The only advantage possessed by the
Danish Eskimo is that he has better
market 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 Eskimos need
in a material way is wood, and per-
haps guns and powder. Civilization can
do little else for them. No signs of a
rebellion could be seen, but they evil
IDENTIFY have traditions, superstitions, 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
Eskimo coveting any article secured
by one of his fellows, nor was there a
single dispute as to property. On no oc-
casion, as far as seen, did any Eskimo
lose his or her temper.
The husband and wife seemed to have
separate property. All was not owned
by the man. Sometimes a wife went
ashore to get fresh articles of trade be-
longing to her husband. but on her re-
turn she would never part with them,
however tempting an offer was made,
until she consulted him. Her own pos.
sessions, however, such as bone needles,
thimbles, necklaces, etc., she sold with.
out consulting him. The bargaining of
the children for their toys was not inter-
fered with in the least by the old people.
The couples are very fond of each
other and are tremendously proud Of
their children. Boston Herald.