The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-27

whisper spell in the short ears which
is said TO insure their attachment 10 the
race that reared them
THE reindeer form their riches these their
tents
Their robes, their beds and al: tkeir homey
wealth supply.
Their wholesome food and cheerful cups"
Some peculiarities of the Eskimo herders
were noticed i'm the reports to the govern
ment, and taken under Amusement. as an
outlay of money was involved. This was an
especial reference to the employment or
two herders where one would have been
sufficient. as In the matter of watching the
herd of reindeer through the night. On I'M
vestigation II was found that the Eskimos
are afraid of the darkness which is
more intense than that of the long polar
night, and one would not watch alone. Tney
also prefer TO tell time by the Big Dipper.
deeming that method superior TO that or
civilization.
These Eskimo herders. returning TO their
own country. were our visitors a few days
ago, when encountered them in their rein
deer garments, with their queer ilVe-cot-
nered high caps and boots of deersxin en-
broidered with beads gazing placidly at
the inside grandeur of our fine Public LIBRA
ry and nowise discomposed by the interest
they excited in reference or reading room.
There was a party of twelve persons IN
the strange colony. and they were hurryinS
home TO their cold and beloved climate pc
fore pneumonia or consumption should stlil
further deciminate their numbers some
having died from inconsistencies I'm Ameri-
can hospitals, and all being afflicted VIII Win
atmosphere. They declared that the colu
of Alaska did not agree with them-it was a
damp cold unlike their own dry rrlgldltys
There Is little doubt that they were dressed
liz the same clothes In which they lell
the shores OF Siberia, but as the garments
were either of skin or wool, they had NOT
suffered as much as might be expected Cer-
tanly a more picturesque group never en-
tered the Public Library. They resem-
bled a leftover section of the world 5 1alr-
But we have nothing TO offer them IN ex-
change for their cold and their whale
blubber. their matched huts the dogs they
love and their reindeer, that Will DriDe
them to stay in this country. The very fact
government they refuse to wear single
article of American manufacture proves
that they are Joined to their own lools.
They are a gentle race of little people, net
feeble folk SO far as physical strength
goes but absolutely without ambition. me
first child born in America was of the rs
kimo race, and il died and has lain buf1ed
here for centuries
| said the venture of the government had
been an experiment and a failure. The eN-
pertinent of utilizing the reindeer Tor the
native Alaskan is "A success, but the people
themselves are failure, inasmuch as they
prefer their old careless way of living, ana
the ESkimos who come here to instruct
them here to teach Alaskans is like setting
the clock back four hundred years. But
they are modern enough to rate their serv-
ice as teachers of reindeer lore as worth
more to the government than the price
they receiVe-$27 a month. When they can
make a better bargain with Uncle Sam
they promise to return