The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-09-19
FATHER BARxUM IN l1AsKA.
ne Tells y traveller Something About the
EsEinao Language and Doc Teams.

From the Baltimore Sun.
SEATTLE, Sept. 1o.-when l stepped aboard
tho Alaska Commercial Company's naphtha
launch from the steamer Portland, ut st. Mi
chaol, Alaska, Aug. 8, l did not think that
the first man ] would meet before putting foot
on shore would be one who is we'll known to
many Baltimoreans.
AS the launch went putting and snopting up
TO the wharf a group Of Eskimo had collected
about the landing gazing with curiosity at the
launch. Mr.. Ling. tho nRcnt Of tho Com
mercial Company. was on tho launch and
began directing the mon to take tho ropes, SO
that the boat could he pulled around into q
shallower place. Tho Indians did not seem to
grasp tho situation, but n bright-eyed, smiling
man, who camc hurrying down the wharf, did.
He ratified OF orders in the Eskimo tongue; and
the effect was electrical.
We were quickly alongside the landing and
climbed up the steps to where the gentleman
stood waiting, smiling at our efforts to make
the Eskimo understand. In n moment l was
introduced. and shaking hands with the Rev.
Francis Barnum.
The history OF Father Barnum is too we'll
known in Ba fillmore to need more than casual
mention. When in the latter part OF the sos
he ronounced the Protestant Episcopal Church
and Joined tho order Of the Jesuits, conso-
Grating not only his life, but all his property to
lit ncNs phDeTs lTOIn one Gnu OF hmcTlCh
to the other were full Of the story. To-day he
is happy and content on the far.of shores Of
Northwest Alaska, seemingly having no re-
grets for the step he took. '.tt-
Father Barnum looks but little older than
when he left Baltimore. His short curly haip
is now fecked with gray, but his eyes have lose
none Of their sparkle and his face none of The
good nature that so evidently dwells within the
man. He has been in Alaska since 1890 in the
| ,,t..ia,arr ,r,rlI 80 tha D,p,o- f.,Lali. rlu--A
and is, at present stationed at Nulato. about
800 miles up tho Yukon. He was at St MI
chael getting his winters supplies when
arrived, ana he spoke as cheer fully OF 6Oo and
TO- below. zero and travelling by n dog sledgo
over icy rivers from one distant mission to an
other as q man who contemplated some pleas.
At the small house where Father Barnnm
river he showed me a dictionary and grammar
OF the Eskimo language upon which he has
be, has designated and defined over 5000
Eskimo words, and says that his task has but
larry, and for each thing. act, or thought there
is a separate and distinct word. Some idea of
gained from the fact that his grammar has to
be written and made up upon bases which do
n ns' s ss'i hs lR 0 Singular lsnx"a snd plara an't TRiie' ME wifs
the 1nuit or Eskimo language they have SIM
e Sf't tb;e G rsriou sn moods %tHFG and tn ien t : f IN order eo
ommoda the peculiaritics OF this language
and retain It's thought it has been necessary
grammatical constructions which do not exso
1T is Interesting, to see this priest, this sol.
dier. on guard at the furthcst picket line fight.
Ing and lsboring, and AT the same time retaining
the ' pages ssne Of his s Ga q Ha1i' calling ns ns Attention aaTas SY ss
this peculiarly and again to that, his eyes
with an interest that could not be hidden. no
matter how many years he might be detailed to
Father Barnum had been out but once since
he went into the Yukon region. coming ont the
SHIPS III n and e exe lite afas5 A that sn rail- to t az } }os o as the
ppr r,;S;ns r,o crossing r the pass ev on the ,as. snow.
frozen rivers. again plugging through dark
eahons. over white,capped rapids, and al tbS
to "dorn a drawing room in a centre Of culture
and refinement.
ple @1 ; S 81 ei sIfE sion ~ a .hs S2 hl%. ana
and and /, s5l 4, + my duty. I follow it and find pleas
Ts,hsr R Rs .,Ps. vii, talk ak Of sy,erything but
sf5%sds'fii in Il beauties ss9ti OF wh des t iSSsa a7sias sea mi hss
oyerlooks;, The Eskimos he says, are the hap;
p piefis su sf;t,nA sns the ssG aasct e@ ef tSas: e seins f III!
tween the elders and the children might well
sors s% with L The Ii Fnd mS5s S Sis1'i os the %n't 9ufcn a nj
S 5sf%. e5 + !; III, Els +, tSsT G5;s Az y " s I1a!sss S SsiSi;
Powsrtai. tribes; and he sppssrssp.iy t AZ rs. ne
Father Barnum's description Of the method9
s Ais's and Ts %a :R toid What T ss s sSSTp E YES * wsse
, and each Of them ready at any moment to stop
To undertake. to describe the Humereus saFE;;
ments would be to ennmerate nsout three fun
> wrapped in fur. The fur parkee goes over al.
. wt By the sn time sDS & s II Iesd Ra ior hs sI.E gStis1 S Ss d ate
rivals tho %stoutest Of Aldermen in his proper.
. lions: II For .,m instsn moe th Sr.f @9q X. trav of ElS %t:
d on a heavy pair Of woollen gloves, then oye1
this 2 pair OF fur gloves. and finally over an g
!, !. ssS sss, VIII ffh{0T q tur TT sdsPS Boot sa' Il s0S Used Gst over 9' a..
. and over all a fish skin boot to keep out tht
. ,WFapPsa in robes the traveller gets into his
!: "a st ssoPP * Re- e So hid s sSd sS.n EI + E I 3sI sis !;
f that the average Eskimo dog knows about pull
|. Sleigh everything Z all risht. but 4 on. doc;
}. aDt h another 70 start aS: ' Rss to- to be seo %Ra !. 8 aff This - a 31s
In their haste to be of the sleigh NAV over
!. tSins S Hns to 'n rum smoothly ra &hGSn IN starting ss@ffi a d9c
e sleigh; or there is no start or there may b
!, . are entirely At their mercy; Yop san s$,d:
seem to take revenge on their human masteri
by swinging down on the ice beside z orevasse
dog. sleigh, and everybody do not go into tn
creyasse., never stopping until they reach tn
Perhaps on your Journey you arc fortunate
a. enough TO meet somebody coming tho othe
way. and the chances arc largely in favor of
fight, in which the dogs OF both teams PARTED
pate to the last dog. At this time the traveller
!, ss shs t sisla'n sfrs SIgns with OUT 1ad a e away sge you &c g
,o again. One thing is ure-you must always b
in the sleigh when the dogs start, because thi
u Is q train that waits for nobody.
is BLACK DEAF AND DUMB WONDEl