The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-09-30
From the New York Post.

. form.
From the New York Post.
Sukkertoppen, Aug. 20-The Greenland
kayak is certainly one Of the most mar
vellous adaptations Of natural forces to
human use which have ever been made.
It is a logical but most ingenious evolu-
ton from the birch-bark canoe of the
northern Indian tribes of America. The
various stages of development, from the
light and open canoe of the northwestern
tribes to the closed and waIer-tight shell
of the complete kayak of Greenland, can
readily be traced around the shores of
Alaska and British America.
The KAYAK consists of q frame of wood
bone, fifteen or twenty feet long, pointed
at Goth ends, and about two and One-half
feet wide and deep IN the mlddle-all so
light that a boy Of twelve can take it I'M
der his arm and carry it without effort
over the frame there is tightly stretched
ana closely sewed covering of tanned
sealskiu which is impervious to water
in the middle oil the top there Is a hole
just large enough TO permit the owner TO
insert his body so that he can sit
on the bottom and stretch his legs
out in front of him. A sedlskin coat with
a hood for the head, and a rim for close
fitting attachment to spunding rim.
round the aperture into the kayak, com
plcte the protection from water. Sitting
bolt upright IN this position, with a
double paddle, fariug at both ends, the
native who IS Ito the manner born can
defy the winds and waves which swamp
an ordinary boat.
The first sight of a kayak in its native
waters is exciting in the extreme. 1t is
likely to be. as with US two weeks ago
when lying OF au unknown harbOr wait
ing Tor a pilot. The whistle has been
blown long and loud, the cannon has been
fired, ana the rocket discharged, and
still no resr onse from shore AT length,
when patience is almost exhausted there
appear three or four black specks on the
tOy Of the distant swells of the ocean
how distant we were little prepared to
estimate, because Of the excessive
clearness of the atmosphere AS they
get nearer. we begin to see a curious mo
tlOn, somewhat resembling that of
the arms OF a windmill. These are the
kayaks with their several occupants striv-
ing to Outstrip each other in race for
the coveted job Of plotting the ship to
harbor Already they are far ahead of
the larger boat which comes tagging
along in the distance. On reaching the
snip. the most fortunate kayaker I'M
lOOseus his coat from the rim of the yes
u u
with much dihculty wriggles himself
clear from its infringement, and is
brought on board. Those who fell be-
hind in the race, some of them, rest
quietly like ducks upon the water around
the ship, only occasionally dipping one
end or other of their curious
paddles to resist the force of some
unusual wave, while others display
their own skill and the capacity of their
Z u xNhf ab
never fail to astonish spectators. Now
one will perform a sOmersault, or a
series of sOmersaults, with his KAYAK
or again one will dart forward like light
ming at right angles to another aud Jump
completely over the bow Of it, But unfor-
tunate indeed is the European who at
tempts any antics in or even ventures
into kayak. To the native the motions
ne essary to preserve equilibrium are a
second nature, which have been instinct
i've from childhood The adult who has
not already learned its management had
better not attempt to learn.
The Greenlanders have larger boats
made of skin, called umiaks; but these
never venture out except when accompa-
MED with a kayak as a convoy. Week
before last we set out from here through
a labyrinth of channels between the
islands on a camping expedition TO the in
z
and our equipage, but we found it CON
venient and almost essential to have along
also three kayaks. These shot ahead TO
find for US the favOring currents, and
were a hand to pick up for US the birds
which we shot upon the wing, and which
fell into the water beyond our convenient
reach. They were also ready for dis
patch on any errand, far or near, which
1t was important Tor us TO have attended
TO. At one time, when the wind was
blowing gale, shutting US up all
day in our tents, and tossing the waves
into such commotlon that it would have
been madness Tor any of us TO have
ventured upon them, we were thrilled by
the cry that some kayaks were coming
They were three that belonged to the lit
tie settlement, and had come that day, as
matter of course, from Sukkertoppeu,
which was twenty miles distant. On
reaching the shore and pulling them
selves loose from their shells, the KAYAK
ers ran their hands into the apertures
from which they had drawn their limbs,
and pulled out various objects of Nor
chanuSe which they had purchased at
the store for their families. They then
took up their kayaks and carried them
to secure place and disappeared in their
igloos, where their families were await
ing them.
III NO a. "A 10 z NABlCN WIN various III
genious implements of the chase. First
there is the bird spear, consisting of a
short handleof wood pointed with a short
bone spearhead and circle of barbed
bone lance heads designed TO give a
whirling motion TO the missile, and to in
sure the enhancement of the object at
which it is thrown. Then there is the
harpOOn for the seal, which is so ar
ranged with a joint that after the spear
head has penetrated the animal it be-
comes detached FROM the shaft and is
connected with a thong in the hands of
the hunter. This thong is also attached TO
float, consisting of the skin of some large
animal sewed together so as to be air
tight and inflated. This will float on
the water and prevent the escape or sink
ing of the wounded animal. Various
kinds Of fishing tackle are also natural
attachments to the kayak, when fully
equipped In the settlement where we
were, all these implements were Of native
manufacture. The wood had been borne
thither on the majestic currents that re-
ceive the drift from Siberian rivers, and,
bearing huge icebergs and vast ice oes
move along the eastern coast of Green
LAND ana around Cape Farewell TO the
Arctic circle on the west shore II is TO
these same currents that hansen has
committed himself in hopes of floating
past the north pole. Nor is iron at all
necessary to these natives. Really, their
true Llysium has been reached, not is the
age Of steel, but in the age of bone With
n a II