The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-10-04
ATHER BARNUM
IN ALASKA.

BALTIMORE, Oct. IA dispatch
to the Baltimore Sun says: When ]
stepped aboard the Alaska Commercial
company's naphtha launch from the
steamer Portland,at ST. MichaePs, Alas
ka, Aug. 5, IEdid not think that the
first man would meet before putting
foot on shore would be one who is well
known to many Baltimoreans.
AS the launch1i went putting and
snortlng up to the wharf group of
Eskimo had collected about the landing
gazing with curiosity at the launch.
Mr.. Ling, the agent of the Commercial
company. was On the launch and began
directing the menato take the ropes, so
that the boat kcould be pulled around
into shalloWer place. The Indians
did not seem to grasp the situation, but
br1ght-eyed, smiling man, who came
hurrylng down the wharf, did. He rat
tled Off orders in the Eskimo tongue,
and the effect was electrical.
We were quickly alongside the land
ing and climbed up the steps to where
the gentleman stood waiting, smiling
at our efforts to make the Eskimo I'M
derstand. In a moment I was intro
dueed and shaking hands with the Rev.
Francis Barnum.
Ihe history of Father Barnum is too
well known in Baltimore to need more
than casual mention. When in the lat
ter part of; the 80s he renowned the
Protestant Episcopal church and joined
the order of the Jesuits, consecrating
not only his life but all his property to
a
America to the other were full of the
story. Today he is happy and content
on the far-off shores Of Northwestern
Alaska, seemingly having no regrets
for the step he took
rather Barnum looks but little older
than when he left Baltimore His short
curly hair is now f1ecked with gray
but his eyes have lost 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
1880 In the missionary work of the
Catholic church, and is at present sta
toned at Nulato, about 500 miles VI
the Yukon. he was at St. Michaels
getting his winters supplies when
arrived, and he spoke as cheerfully Of
60 and 70 deg below zero and travel
ing by dog sledge over icy rivers from
man who contemplated some pleasant
scene.
AT the small house where Father
Barnum was staying awaiting the
steamer to go up the river he showed
me a dictionary and grammar of the
Eskimo language upon which he has
spent seven years of constant study
Already he has designated and defined
over 5000 Eskimo words, and says that
his task has but begun, as the Ian
guage is rich in voca bulary. and fol
each thing, act or thought there is G
separate and distinct word. Some idee
of the enormous task he has before
him may be gained from the fact thai
his grammar has to be written anC
made up upon bases which do not eX-
list in our language. For instance, with
US we have singular and plural, while
with the Inuit or Eskimo language
they have singular, dual and plural
In the conjunction of the various
moods and lenses, in order to accom-
modate the peculiarities of this Ian
guage and retain it's thought, 1t has
been necessary for Father Barnum tC
create new forms and granmatlca
constructions which do not exist IN oul
language.
1t is interesting to see this priest,
this soldier on guard at the furthest
nickel line. fighting and laborlng ana
at the same time retaining all the gen
tiefess99 of "a childio AS he tllrnes over
the pages of his grammar, Gaining at