The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-07-12
ARTISTIC SAvAGES.
The Esquimaux Clever, Artistic and In
Yentive.

The Esquimaux Clever, Artistic and In.
ventive.
What Prof. Otis T. NJ ason thinks OF
the Esquimaux, he largest population
of Alaska are the most intelligent OF
its natives, is well worth considera.
ton. Looki ng at these people from a
purely scie ntific point of view Prof
Mason does them simple justice, no
more nor less.
The Esquimau people are k nown to
be the most intelligent and artistic
savage people on the face of the globe
They were carvers in ivory before any
white men ever wen t to that country.
Ever since the Russi ans went up there,
one hundred years ago, and took them
the file and better tools, they have been
1oing excel ent carving of all kinds.
Their progre SIS in art for one hundred
years has proved that they are an intel
igent and progressive IA ce and are not
falling behind. They hav stood compar-
ison with that celebrated people discov-
cred in the French caves who left re-
mains in bone carving, and also the
people of the Some valley. They have
invented one of the most ingenious APP
plications on the pri ciple of elasticity
Of which the world k nows. In this in
vention they have made use of drift
wood. They take small piece of wood
about twelve in ches long resembling a
pipe stem. w hich is quite brittle and
will not bear bending. They take
sinew cord and run it through and
haal- co thnt fva irahAG thar,
have hitch. Thus it bears a great
columnal strain. They can make a bow
30 strong that it will send an arrow
into a whale. The invention is not
known anywhere else in the world
Another of their inventions de-
serves mention. They ha We to ride in
riclIety boats, and they can use but one
hand. The boatma has to hold the
boat steady in the W alter. and not being
able to use his elbow in the boat he has
invented device which he attaches to
his arm. They have not borrowed that
idea from the white man, and the white
man never saw it until he saw them
use it. The white man has been learn
ing navigation from these EsquinauX.
They did not borrow their ideas from
the Russians. The lines of their boats
are on the pla n of modern racing cut
tiers in all exc ept the center part. and
if you follow the design of their boats
you have the modern racer. This boat
is adapted to their cond itions, and
shows them to be an ingenious and pro-
gressive people.
Their macintosh garment is made
from the in ties tines of the seal. which
are taken and sewed together with a
little thread of sinew. The work is
very extraordinary, and is done by the
women. These women are so strong
that they would undertake to shoulder
4 sack of salt, or even a barrel of flour.
They can carry two hundr ed pounds in
weight. They get down on their knees
TO work with these deerskins. All the
work on the deer from the time it is
killed is the work of the women. The
men are enduring an d able to stand any
amount of fat igue. The women are
healthy and display wonderful vigor of
limb and back They do not know they
have backs. Their co ndition is quite
in contrast with what we find in our
own homes. They are hearty and
healthy in every respect. My own
studies have led me to this conclusion
and | have been able to compare them
with other savages-the POlynesians
and the Africans and | find that they
will hold their own with any a original
race on the face of the earth. Kate
Eia1d'S WASHINGTON