Morning journal and courier., 1892-01-19
THE POINT BAKRow EsKIMOs.
A Drunken, Cruel and superstitious
People.


From the Portland oregonisn.I
]. Frank Davis, deputy collector of in
ternal revenue, of this city, has received
an interesting letter from G. B. Borden,
keeper of the United States refuge station
at Point Barrow, Alaska, Uncle Sans
most northern outpost. Mr.. Borden
writes:
ssReferring to your letter of November
10, 1890, asking for a description of Point
Barrow as to soil, climate, resources, ETC.,
have to say that the country is a barren
tundra (rolling, marshy, mossy plainl,
without resources and devoid of interest.
For many miles down the coast, and for
many miles back in the interior, it Is one
level plain, destitute OF all vegetation, e1-
cept a wild grass in summer, and a dense,
heavy moss, resembling sponge, summer
and winter The grass has but little nu-
triment, still it supports numerous focks
of ducks and geese that find this one of
their breeding. grounds. The moss absorbs
large quantities of water, and holds 1t
throughout the dryest seasons, compelling
travellers to wear water-tight boots, as the
water is always ice-cold. The soil on the
tdndra Is from u 1OOI 10 d IOOt aHo u Aa1
deep, and composed of decayed vegetable
matter. Underneath this, SO far rs has
been learned, lies a conglomerate of ice,
sand and gravel. Lieutenant Ray, of the
United States signal service, when here, in
testing the temperature of the earth, exca-
waited to the depth of forty-one feet, and
found as above, ice, sand and gravel, the
temperature gradually decreasing. At
twelve or fifteen feet, twenty degrees be-
low zero the year around; at forty feet,
fifteen degrees below. This excavation Is
now used as an ice-cellar, In which are
kept, in q frozen state, fish, flesh and fowl
for any length of time.
"Back fifty OF sixty miles the land rises
In ridges composed of granite, sea-sand
and gravel, and open, level plains, inter
spersed with ponds and rivers filed with
fish. The interior has not been much eI-
pIored by whites or Eskinos, as the latter
believe it to be inhabited by q race of can
nibals, so that neither threats nor persus-
sions will induce them to enter It. In re-
gard to the climate, none in the world
could be healthier-no fever, no malaria,
no contagious diseases whatever. Some
times the natives catch cold by going from
their damp underground huts out into the
open air, but those who live in snow huts
never take cold, the clear, cold, crisp air
| Is too bracing. After half an hours exer-
else here in the morning a man feels like
jumping over the moon and eating q whole
deer for breakfast. The climate Is rather
| cold, the winter long and tedious. Last
/ winter the lowest temperature was fifty
degrees below zero, and the winter before
| forty.n nine degrees below; but this 10 not
so cold as have experienced In Green
| land, where / have often found IL sixty five
/ degrees below, and for three months not
above fifty degrees below zero. The Japa-
ness current materially modifes the tenn
perature here. Flowing up through Ber-
Ing sea and the straits, reaches Point Bar.
row, sometimes bringing sudden chsnges
On the Goth of February last we had
change in the temperature from forty de
grees below to twenty eight degrees abov'
zero in few hours. We have about ter
months winter and two of summer. II
the winter we have no sun for two month
and but little daylight. There Is the dul
and tedious part. In the summer the sui
remains above the horizon the same lengtl
of time he is below in the winter, when !
is quite warm, and one can almost see tn
grass grow.
"The natives are an indolent, improvi
dent, filthy, drunken race, superstitious Z
high degree and intolerable beggars; vii
not work SO long as they can get mouth
full to eat by begging; spend much of thei
time feasting, dancing and frightening
, away devils, They have many devils, bu
! no god-a devil for the ice, sickness