The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-05-23
ESKIMO BABY LIFE.

About twenty years since Lieut.
Schwatka, with party, went into the
Eskimo country. seeking knowledge Of
DR.. Franklin, who was lost in that very
cold region. Again was Lieut.. Schwat'
ka sent by the New York Times into the
Alaskan seas on a tour Of discovery.
He brought back from these trips a
great deal of valuable information
about the country and its resources, and
the people and their habits. In the st.
Nicholas he tells the following story:
When baby Eskimo's mother makes
the hood for her reindeer suit, she
stretches it into long sack or bag, that
hangs down behind and is supported by
her shoulders, aud this bag of RENDERS
skin is his cradle and home, where he
lives until he knows how to walk, when
he gets his first suit of clothing.
This, however, is while the baby Es-
kimo is out of doors, and his mother is
making a social visit. When at his
own home, in order not to trouble his
mother while she is sewing or cooking
or doing such other work, the little
baby is allowed to roll around almost
without clothing, among the reindeer
skins that make the bed, where it
amuses itself with anything that it can
lay it's hands on. from Ratchet to
snow stick.
You doubtless think little Boreas
should have nice time rolling around
to his hearts content on the soft, warm
reindeer skins; but when tell you
more about his little home you will not
think so For his winter home is built
of snow.
"But won't the snow melt and the
house tumble in?' you will ask. OF
course it will, if you get it warmer than
just the GOODNESS at which water freezes;
but during the greater part of the year
it is SO cold that the snow will not melt,
even when the Eskimo burn fires in
their stone lamps inside these snow
houses; so by carefully regulating the
amount of fire, they can just keep the
snow from melting. In short, it must
always be cold enough in their home to
freeze.
So you can see that the little Eskimo
cannot have such very nice time, and
you can't see how in the world he can be
almost naked all day long when it is
he 70 nj
Yet in spite of all this, the little fel.
low really enjoys himself. He gets used
to the cold. and has great fun frolicking
around on the reindeer skins and play.
ing with the toys.
At times the fire will get too warm in
the snow house, and then the ceiling
will commence melting-for you all per
haps have learned at school that when
a room becomes warmed, it is warmer al
the ceiling and cooler near the floor.
So with the hut of snow; it com
mences melting at the top because it is
warmer there-and when two or three
drops of the cold water have fallen on
the baby's bare shoulders, his father or
mother finds that it is getting too warm,
and cuts down the fire.
When the water commences dropping
the mother will often take SNOWFALL
from the floor, where it is colder than
freezing. and stick it against the point
where the water is dripping. There il
freezes fast and soaks up the water just
like sponge, until it becomes full. and
then she removes it and puts on an.
other, as soon as it begins to drip again
Sometimes she will forget to remove it,
and when it gets soaked and heavy with
water and warm enough to lose it's freez,
ing hold. down it comes! Perhaps right
on the baby's back where it flattens out
like slushy pancake; or into his face,
as it once served me.