The sun., 1897-01-31
THE WAYS OF THE INNUITS.
PEoULIA RITES OFOUR NORTHERN
MOST FELLOW CITIZENS.

MOST FELLOW CfIIZENS.
Their Name siRriass Tsst They Are
the Peopie-E-kinos In D-ri-ion-Their
Dress sna Homes-A disastrous Spree.
From the alaska Ners,
The Innult race nj people, commonly and
also corruptly called Esklmos. occupy almtst
tho entire coast line OF Alaska. with the nn-
merous outlying islands. from the boundary
line westward along the Arctic coast TO Bebr-
ing Straits. thence southwark to the Alaska
peninsula over the peninsula and the Aleu-
tsn Islands and eastward and southwark along
the coast to Mt. st. Elias. with the exception
Of q comparatively small territory at Cooks
Inlet. and also at the mouth OF Copper River.
at which points the Tinneh tribe Of Indians
from tho interior have forced their way TO the
coast. Living constantly on or near the sea
they from infancy have not the slightest FEAR
OF the dangers 81 the deep. and at an early age
become bold navigators and skilled fishermen
and sea hunters.
The word Innuit in their native tons ue
signifies people. and as such 10 used by them TO
designate those OF their own race as our people
Eskimo Is word OF renroach. and has been
given them by their neiRhb0rs, the term mean
ing raw fish eaters" Tho Innuits of Alaska
are physically much superior TO those inhabit-
Ing tho eastern eide OF the continent. In Green
race and speak common language. though
each locality and often each village from the
Atlsnti, to the Pacific will possess a dialect
dlstinGtiyely Its own. Those Of our territory
are tall and muscular. not few OF them being
Blk feet In height. They haVs small black eyes.
high cheek homes. large mouths. thick lips.
coarse brown hair, ani fresh yellow complex.
ions. In many Instances men will be.sern With
a full beard ahd mustachc. and In some par
ticulsr families their manly beauty l. iurther
enhanced by wearing "A abret below each cor
ner OF tie mouth In u hole cut through the low
er lip for tho purpose. They nre nood-na-
tnred people. always smiling when spoken 10.
and are fond OF dancing running. Jumping. and
all athletic sports. Their most habituA dress 10
.he pafka, n sort OF coat ex tending to the klecs
and made OF the sktns OF animals, the breasts
OF birds also being sometimes used. They
are not averse, however. to wearing civilized
Iothing. and when access can be had to a trad
ers store they will ,excnange their furs for
rcady-maie suits. Root apparel Is generally
made OF either wa!rus skin OF mooseliie. AMI
Is the only material which sill efectually
long Arctic winters. In lieu Of socks a soft
woolien rag or perLaps tanned rabbit skin
tho foot. which is then insertcd into the S Soot.
a layer of straw first having been placed inside
for the foot to rest upon. TINS loots are i'm
peryious a. water, and while through tramp
ing for hours over soft snow or wading small
creeks the outside may become nartially wa
Ter soaked. aud finally as II grows colder freeze
40 hard that they Will have 10 be thawet out
before they can be removed. set the foot will
ordinarily remain warm aud comfortabie.
Such II condition could not possibly exist wi n
the heaviest and warmest shoes mad. OF ordi.
nary leather.
the outward appearance Of q circular mound
OF earth covered with grass with u small oueE-
Ing at tho top for the escape OF smoke. The
entrance Is Through small door and narrow
hallway TO the main room. which varies from
twelve to twenty feet In diameter, and Is with
out light or ventilation. Their diet consists
and small fur bearing animals; also OF fish.
the white whale the walrus. seal, and various
water fowl. everything being eaten in n raw,
uncooked state, free from seasoning or any
condiments whatever. Those residing In the
vicinity OF Point Barrow and along the Arctic
coast have a particular aversion TO salt. and
while they will eat with great relish decayed
fish, or will drink putrid seal or whale oil. yet
n inouthfull Of tho choicest corned beef will be
spit out with an exceedingly wry face. Men.
women. and even children OF twelve years Of
age are inveterate smoker, and will part
with their most valuable article for a pack
age OF tobacco IL there should be 10 other
means OF securing supply of the coveted
constantly, following the fish and seals to their
spawning and breeding grounds. As. col.
weather approaches they start hOmeward. and
II the husband is a good hunter and his wife
n provident helpmNte they will have succeeded
IN laying IN sufficient supply of food TO last
them trough the long dreary winter.
Their religious belief - quite indefinite. In
general gem rh way way they & esiess in a. power that r:-
ter class being sent to different places OF per-
Inanent abode according To the sins and crimes
thay have committed while alive. Within
the last few years missionaries uf oil denomi-
nations have been actively engaged in Chris
tain work among them, and churches. schools.
and nos pitais have been scattered along the
coast line for nearly 1000 mil 's. At Point
HARROW, the extreme northern point OF land
ia tie United states. and within twenty-five
miles of being the northernmSst land on the
continent, tho Congregation Alists have estab
lished "A mission and school, EplscopnllDns.
Roman Catholics. and alsu tie Greek Church
are represented along the Yukon River, and
on the Kuskokwim the Morayians have for
many years conducted successful school.
From the boundary l!ns along the bleak
Arctic coast villages are found here and there
wherever there is sheltcrel harbor with good
hunting aLd fishtng. the total population be-
tween these two points aggregatinE about
1900. Al the mouth Of THE Colviile River a
from hundreds Of miles away. At Point Bur
row there are about l50 lnnuits who claim that
that for warmth are partially built under
Ernund. The uppe: portion IS rooted over with
ribs. ribs i Wound Ro,nebuo sound are "a great ~Id
many small villages. situated principally upon
and near the mouths of the Nunstus ana Ku-
wax rivers, two large streams that noN into
the sound. Here, alsl. the naiiNes.c in
large numbers once year. generally ~ July.
for the purposes OF trade and barter. The In
NUTS OF tho coast bring their oil. bone, walrus
hides. aud ssalsSins; tho Tinneh ot the in
berIa their reindeer skins. rides. and whlskev.
1t ia to these gatherings that in former year.
came soh,%nsrs t, Satp',sa II san FT.nGissco
with cargoes OF villanously bad whiskey ami
worse rum labelled Florida water" "Jamai
ca ginger" "Painkiller." &c.
Di.ectlv south uf fehrlng straits Il the large
leland OF 81. Lawrence, which formerly had n
populatioa OF over 500 souls They were the
largest and finest formed. physically. OF the
lnuuit race, but were slaves to liquor. In the
summer OF 1873 they hartered their furs,
ivory, and whalcbone TO tho traders for whis-
key, and ms lng as he liquor lasted they spent
,neir time in idlene,s and drunkenGas;ss a;
result was that over 400 Of Them starved Ia
death the following winter. In some villages
not n single man. woman, or child was left To
toll the horrible ,Rle. or late Years the pres
ence OF n fleet Of revenue cutters every sum
mer In the nOrthen waters has done much
toward suppressing the Illegal sale OF liquor 10
the natives. Had not such stems been taken
by the Government II wonld have leon Gues.
tion OF but u short une until the entire lnnuit
rncs would have become extinct through star
walton and prolonged dGUauvhrs.
UNSEAIED IN NERRiSkI.