The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1893-01-07
THE ESQUIMAU.
An Uncivilized Race with Som.
Excellent Traits.

A very pleasant and open-hearted ma.
pie are these Cape York Esquimau. s rv
the Boston Herald. One would expect,o
find them gloomy and unhappy, like ths
icy businesses of their native Greenl,nS
Their frame of mind, OH the contrarv !.
very different. When they first c;,aS
the Kite from their hillside tents tbsr
gave her a joyous greeting. "Kymoi
kymo ?" or something resembling tL..
word they shouted in hearty tones. Thew
seemed to have no fear that the yisi, a
strangers BODIED them ill.
All the time aboard the ship they won.
smiling and laughing These peonl.
have never had any Christian TEACHINGS
and almost the only white men they eys,
see are the whalers. Yet thew an.
scrupulously honest. In trading with
them members of the expedition passed
around among them needles, knives, and
many articles as precious to them a,
diamonds to an American. Eyerythino
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 foriy-eight peo.
Pile swarmed over the vessel for two days
and not u single article was missed
There was only one thing that could
have been construed into theft at Cana
York. a Yak walked into the cook,
galley and grabbed piece of bacon from
the pan and devoured it. In their settle.
ments, however, the food appeared to b
common property rule which NAV
prevail during prosperity. 1t was
noticed that they brought aboard birds
and blubber for sustenance, while thew
remained on the ship, but it did not seem
to be the exclusive property of any one.
Whoever was hungry helped himself.
Looking at these Esquimaux, who are
entirely beyond the influence of ciyizs.
ton, who live, as one might say, "oa
their own hook" one is tempted to ask
whether the Danish rule is such a bene6.
cent thing for the Greenlanders further
south. There does not seem to be 70
much happiness in the latter quartet.
The only advantage possessed by the
Danish Esquimau i, 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 Esquimaul
need in material way is wood, and per.
haps guns and powder. Civilization can
do little else for them. No signs Of
rebellion could be seen, but they evident
ly have traditions, superstitions, and
perhaps god. for all their affairs an
well-regulated.
In the mob of forty Eight people, al
bargaining, there was no instance Of a
Esquimau covering any article secured
by one of his fellows, nor was there
single dispute as TO property. On no
occasion, as far as seen, did any Esqui
mau lose his or her temper.
The husband and wife seemed to have
separate property. All was not owned
by the man. Sometimes wife went
ashore TO get fresh articles of trade b.
longing to her husband, but on her return
she would never part with them, hOweva
tempting an offer was made, until she
consulted him. Her own possessions
however. such as bone needles, thimblea
necklaces, etc, she sold without consult
ing him. The bargaining of the chill
dren for their TOYS was not interfered
with in the least by the old people.