The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-05-23
HOW AN ESKIMO LIVES.
His Curious Underground Home and
the Way IL II Built.

the Way IL II Built.
From the ST. Louis Globe-Democrat
In all the years since the exodus from
Lapland the Boring Strait Eskimo has
chung to his primitive customs lie still
lives In tents, though whereas formerly
they were made from walrus hides or
deer sinks, In recent years he has sub
stituted the more convenient drtll or can
vas, obtained from the whalers or trading
stations. Six months. from May TO Octo-
Der, he moves about the coast fishing.
hunting or wholly idle. The other six
monthe are spent In his baraboras or dug
out In April, when the ground with
which his hut Is covered on one side and
top begins to thaw and drip, he again
takes to his tent on the beach, and inn
medlately makes preparations for his sea
hunt, which provides him with the staple
foods-seal OIL blubber and meat-besides
fur for clothing and for barter with the
whaler.
Sealing being over, he returns home and
engaged In fishing until whalers and other
ship collect at Point Spencer some time in
June or July, when he again launches his
omlak and departs for that place. Here he
stays until the ships leave, fishing, trad
ing or enjoying a general good time, In
accordance with his Industry he lays In a
supply of sugar. -four, molasses, powder.
lead, caps, knixes, axes, needles, thread,
etc. This done, he journeys into the lakes
through GRAVITY Harbor, and finishes his
fishing, returning some time in October
In these days an extended trading goes
on among the EslSimos Of the various dis
tricts. Deer skins and deer legs and ST.
news are brought over from East Cape
In large quantities and bartered for red
fox skins, in great demand on the Sibe-
rian side. Ogorooks, or large sealskins,
from the Kotzebue Sound, used for soies
a. .
changed for powder, lead, tobacco and
caps. Ivory and whalebone In great plen-
~ come from Indian Point and Kings Is
land, and are traded off for tobacco,
knives, colico, -four and the like. From
Golovin Bay and Norton Sound come the
mink lynx, red fox. beaver and wolf
skins, all In great demand among the
Alaskans west and north OF these two
bays.
IN the selection OF a building site the
Strait Eskimo chooses a bank near the
shore, with a gentle slope toward the
south. Here he excavates, with his whale
bone shovel, a place ten or twelve feet
square and about six feet deep. Level
with the floor he digs a tunnel three and
one-half or four feet square out 10 the
hillside. and here he sets up q driftwood
Enclosure with an opening at the top large
enough 70 admit one person at time. In
all the long winter months, when the
snow-drlfts keep the subterranean resi-
dent confined for weeks at a time, but
little snow finds ats way through this open
Ing. Moreover. as the heat rises 20 the
top little OF Il escapes through the tunnel.
The room thus excavated Is studded
closely with driftwood, Of which there -
always an abundance; a rafter Is placed
at each corner reaching to a square frame
or skylght in the center. This 10 covered
with tho intestine Of seals OF walrus, In
stead Of glass. The spaces between the
raftcrs are filled out with brush, whale
bone, split logs. or odds and ends OF boards
found along tho beach. This thatch Is COW
cred with sod or loose ground, and the
home Is complete-a home warm and com
Portable and one that offers no obstruction
20 the almost continual north wind from
January 20 the middle Of May
As rule no fireplace IL found IN these
underground dwellings. But little cooking
IA done. The natives live on dry fish.
stored Up ia summer. or on raw frozen
tomcod caught through the ice by the
women In the winter. This. with seal oil,
blubber and seal meat. constitutes the en-
tire diet. Knives, forks and spoons are
unknown. The men ind an excellent sub
stituto IN their FIRST and second fingers,
which they dip into the tray OF seal oil
and HEX with gusto. The women use
three fingers, ana the children all four.
For the young people OF tho family. or
famllies-for they crowd into one hut as
many as possibly can find sleeping room-a
platform. six feet long. a constructed, the
entire width Of the room. midway between
the floor and ceiling. Here the boys and
girls rest their limbs IN months OF slum-
Der the fiO0r being reserved for the old
folk. Upon entering the room the Esxi-
mo carefully brushes from his clothing