Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-05-24
MRS. PEARY'S LECTURE
An Interesting Narrative of Life Within
the Arctic Circle.
LECTURE
The Icy Landscapes, the Quaint People
and Their Customs, the Wonder and
the Magic of NOrthland.

When Mrs. Peary closed her lecture last
evening at Metzerott's with the resolute
face of Capt. Peary slowly fading from
the huge screen as the electric lights were
turned on, the large audience still sat, as
If expecting her to continue-like Millions
Adam, Still thought him speaking, still
stood fixed to hear"
1t was just such a story as the brave,
true. sensible wife of an intrepid voyageur
should tell of life in the arctics. Lectures
Of voyages before this have told us of all
the scientific aspects of expeditions similar
to Capt. Peary's, but Mrs. Peary spoke
simply of the human experiences involved
the everyday manner and habit of liv-
ing: Throughout the narrative was fasci-
natingly interesting. The illustrations were
exceptionally good, having the unique val
ue OF original snapshot work by Capt. and
Mrs. Peary during all their sojourn at the
north. The views of the icebergs and ice
fields, the glaciers and the foes, afforded
constant background and environment
for the romantic story of the little family
exploring party. Mrs. Pearys account of
her daily toll and recreation, the cooking
of meals, the instruction of the Esquimau
women in sewing, the long walks and
sledge journeys, nights spent in the tent
or in the ice huts of the natives during the
widest of storms, the hunting of walruS
and seal, was more than fancy painted.
The natives seemed to be forever interest
ing. Their diminutive stature, their pecu-
liar dress of brdskins and seal leather.
their habits of life, were faithfully de-
scribed. Tho life of baby Esquimau until
large enough to walk is somewhat like that
of marsupial. living in a hood on the
back of the mother. the child clad only in
a birGskin shirt, and the mothers back
bare for the sake of the warmth impaired.
A peculiar custom of these northern peo-
PIE was told in the story of young woman
employed by the Pearys. Her husband was
na1 WI iIn HIM iptr laal inc ha
widow with three children. A young Es-
qutmau began to court the widow. When
Mrs. Peary spoke to her about it and ask
ed after her children the widow went away
crying. 1t was then learned that after the
Esquimau custom the youngest child had
been strangled, for no Esquimau would
marry widow with SO many young chill
dren to support.
Strange Process of Tanning.
The Esquimau women, in their assist
ance al the sewing. revealed their queer
hardship in the work of chewing deer skins
to prepare them for clothing. So arduous
is their toll in this way that they have to
rest their jaws every third day. The aver
age Esquimau woman can chew but two
skins in day, and this requires very
steady labor Especially interesting was
Mrs. PearyS alluson to her pretty little
SRI, born i'll the arctic home, where, Just
like other babies she grew and thrived,
smiling in the sunshine, playing, with
flowers and the playthings provided her.
An Archie Sun Bath.
1t was novel sight in one of the pictures
on the screen to See the little baby laugh
ing as it lay taking it's sun bath outdoors
entirely nude, on a bear skin. This up
within the arctic circle seemed impossible
but Mrs. Peary assured her audience that
at the time the thermometer stood at 80,
and her greatest anxiety was to keep the
ha pir ri
lecture closed with pictures of the babys
juvenile companions, one after another,
and of Mr.. Hugh Lee of Meriden, Conn.,
Capt. Peary's comrade this year, and of
Matt Henson of Philadelphia the faithful
colored man who is with them.
In July, as result of Mrs. Peary's eff
forts, a ship is to sail northward over the
route of the Kite, to afford the relief of
which the party may be in need. If sue
cessful, in the autumn, Mrs. Peary said,
the little family would be reunited.