The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-10-17
OUR ESKIMO VISITORS.
LIEUT.. PEhRY,s CH1RGEs TAsTLY
INTER- ESTED IN NEW YORK.
They Long for n Cold snap, and tho Wen
Want 10 Marry All the Pretty Women They
see-Mccsncy n Bright ~DoJ-ThinEs That
strike Them-They Have Good Appetitcs.

lhero are six persons in this city VINO would
welcome II cold snap, q real cold snap, n spell Of
regular hoZ.killin' weather, as the people down
south say when they want TO express the super
lattve degree of cold. They arc the Eskimos
brought down from Greenland by Lieut.. Poary.
These dcnizons OF tho frozen north couldn't
have cooler quarters in these parts. for they arc
now housed in the basement of tho Museum Of
Natural History at Eightieth street aud Cen
tral Park West; hut all the same they say that
Now York has n bcastly climate and that they
wouldn't 1.-Two here II they could have the
bloomin' old town; or at least that's what
Matthew Henson, Lieut.. Pcary's all-around man,
says they say. Mat, as Mr.. Henson is known,
has been appointed guardian of these guests,
and when he says they say, well, just any old
thing, few dare dispute him, since not one man
out of a million understands thoir language.
Tho Eskimos are not on exhibition at present.
They are at the museum for strictly business
purposes. Tho scientists up there propose to
learn their language, to take plaster casts Of
them, to make pictures Of them, to get oil the
information out of them that they can, and in
turn TO teach them something of our civilian
ton and language.
They haven't got at work yet, but the Es-
kimos don't mind. In fact, thcy.don't seemsto
mind anything but the heat. and an occasional
sight OF q pretty American woman consoles the
three men of the party for their sufferings in
this direction. But the women-well, q woman
is a woman, no matter where on the face Of
the earth she comes from. and this one appears
to say the equivalent of "Oh, l don't know;
these American women amt so warm As
for tho two little children, Ahweah, a ten
year-old girl. and Mcesney, an; eight-year.old
boy, they are happy in spite of the rivers Of
perspiration that roll from their big, fat faces.
When n Sim rppprtef won't IN IN yiatt Thorn
the other morning two tiny girls were Lying
fiat on the ground outside the museum. peer
ing down through the iron grating over q base
ment window of the building.
Eat II, cat it," urged one eagerly.
"Ics, eat it, eat it, put in the other. TITS
candy. It's good. Eat 1t. It's sweet"
Eat this" resumed the first speaker, rum
ming her hand into n paper bag and throwing
something down. ITS chocolate. an choc'-
latcs is splendid. Eat it. Eat it."
Then each took II chocolate cream from the
bag and said in chorus:
'See, this way. Eat it, and proceeded to
give the finest possible--illustration OF how a
chocolate cream can be eaten with a relish.
The reporter pcered:over the heads below.
and there. stretched out on the basement win
dow. was one of the Eskimo men. His face
was upturned to his little friends above, and,
talk about broad grins. he wore one that
would have to be measured by feet almost,
not inches.
'Ain't he lovely r. said the elder child
as the fellow below caught on and began to de-
YOUR her gift of swectmeats. "Ain't it n shame
they won't let folks see 'emf'' They" pre-
sumably:: mean Mr.. Wallace, superintendent
of.tho institution. for he says who shall and who
shall not visit his charges.
THE Eskimos are not on exhibition just
--, - l. Ill - A. ssE~-
would Hook here to see them in such numbers
that our plans concerning them would be COM
plctcly broken up. Come this way. They will
be very glad to see you, and, indeed. they do
not get lonely, for many people are allowed the
privilege of visiting them"
down n flight of stairs to the basement, then
down a long; narrow hall to a room on tho
This is the home of the Eskimos. They had
just returned from a short walk. and the six,
with Mr.. Henson. were sitting on the platform
"Mornin'." sad the sig; and that's just e3.
the exception of little Mecsncy, who is rapidly
becoming quite an English scholar. Then
! hSiyun al nsk"n to- s she bs saSept to '' sSow Tio" nnaI
no wonder. What woman wouldn't have
scowled under the same cirsumstances. 4
young woman had just entered the room, and
every man of the Eskimo5 was using the most
explosive adiectivcs about her beauty and her
y ENtt. MAI ltIlSD WIS tIu'
The men are asking their woman why she
isn't good looking like This lady, explained Mr..
Henson. AND they are abusing her a little for
not being So"
Soon the men settled down to silent adn,ira-
ton OF their visitor. She was really only a
fairly good looking, trinity built young woman.
She saved the reporter the trouble OF doing the
Don't they have an awful time trying to
"Ies, they suffer considerably from the heat,
but not as much ms they did at first" answered
Nh HnnSnY 'NnIi aRn all RNrnnt the
have discarded their fur garments and aro
wearing, American clothes. She hasn't been
The woman painted and was kept busy mop
ping her face with the palm Of her hand. She
wore short, foxskln trousers, i9nE deerski1
up. and "A dark blue sweater.
wouldn't she make II splendid quarter back
for a football team" exclaimed the young wo,
man, gazing ndniringly ut her strong, broad
shoulders and her great eXpansG of chest. Ora
OK cominon sense do they pass their timer" she
prattlcd on. "and how do they like civilization
They l;En i very ,, well l., bit they tell me
ANSWERED mst V red Mr.. lien neihson. You Know they y'l are
members OF the Arctic Highlanders. the most
Nooktah,'' pointing to the Oldest in tho party.
He is the son Of the Chief Koolootoonah. who
1 psr iy9' HEo ;SEittGah to Is the Rsf hsad Of Of th hsY little H"S Sa hii
you see here. The woman is his wife and this
their little daughter. This man." pointing to
he most amiablc-l looking, "is kossuh, and the
little boy is his son. Kessuh is more in love
with you than any OF the others. He asked me
when you came In II you w,0s Mr.. Wallace's
wife. Every time Mr.. Wallace brings a good
looking woman in here he is crazy until he finds
that she is not bound by marriage. He wants
to know II you will go back as his wife,
"a proposal!" exclaimed the young woman.
"a paimist said I would have one
'Kessuh il chief of his tribe" continued Mr..
Henson. This other. young man Is Meesta-
kupsi, a comrade of his"
Kessuh approached the young woman and
stood close 10 hcr. He looked ut her from head
to foot and then said what sounded like n mill
dam breaking loose. Henson laughed;
What is it he is saying!" asked the young
woman. II know it is about me-
He ID saying that lac Id just as tall as you
and that although be is so near YOU no cannot
understand wha; you say. That always
puzzles thom very much. He says he longs 10
understand what you say, and wants to know
Tel NE how they pass tho time" urged the
visitor, changing the subject.
They walk around the square, sit here and
talk about home and the wonderful things
they see here, and sleep and eat" replied the
interpreter. They put in tho best part of
cat ai = O'Clock, and did not s.oI until after
IL. They Will begin their second meal about
l, and probably nnish ii in time TO take a walk
Al $, ana then ,hoy liayo their supper. That il
not ulI. They cat hclMocn, meals. What do