The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-10-26

How the Uncanny Influence of Esqui-
 naau Bones Was Felt on Peary s
 Ship.
 A member of the Peary expel'tion writes:
 While reading the Daily Graphic" review of Lieutenant Peary's recent book it occurred to me that a curious experience resulting from sundry raids made on Greenland burying-gr in the scientific pursuit of Esquimaux skulls and skeletons may be of present interest, confess that my story has a distinctly Rougemont flavor, but it's ac- curacy is vouched for by the scientists of the party. We know it really hap pened. We leave the explanation to the Psychical Research society.
 The Greenland section of the Peary expedition was partly subsidized by several scientific societies on the un- derstanding that skulls and skeletons and geological specimens should be se- cured for their various museums. Six Esduimau skeletons were promised to the Chicaeo Worlds Fair authorities in return for a grant toward the Peary expedition. Esquimau skeletons are rare especially of those types known as the .'Arctic Highlanders," and it was question of honor that the scientific branch of the expedition should not re- turn without some of these coveted specimens. Now the Esquimaus are superstitious people, and hold a tradi- ton that if body belonging to one of their race be taken to a country where no walruses seals or bears exist, and where grass Is plentiful, the bones of such a transported Esquimau are chewed up by snakes and the spirit perishes beyond redemption.
 Consequently our endeavors to obtain skulls and skeletons by legitimate pur- chase failed utterly, though I must say in defence of our skeleton -snatching action that we offered large prices and tempting prizes for their barter.
 When the Kite landed at Ittiblu the scientists went ashore on skeleton hunting quest, and. finding no bone market open to bribes or sales, deter mined to make said on the two-cen- tury-old burying-gr which con- taired several hundred graves. The Esaumaus built a dome-like erection above their graves, the stones being so arranged as to cover the corpse without coming in contract with 1t. Snow fall-
 
 causes a firm kind of cement, so that the opening of such a grave is no easy tas'. We settled on the likeliest-look- ing grave, and, intending to return at midnight, went back to the ship. The natives, however, were so excited by our arrival that they resolved to make a festive night of it. Perpetual twi- light made it impossible to cover our 1r-it tbn -t,o loe ,,i, One of the Kites officers, however, un- dertook to keep the natives other wise occupied while we pursued our disa- greeable duty of skeleton-snatching
 He therefore took up his position in a large tent and busied himself in dis playing the mighty wonders of New York jaciznves and the marvels of American-made needles. the latter he- ing highly coveted, and forming per- haps the only prize which might tempt an Esquimau to dishonesty. With such wonders to disclose, their atten- tion was duly engaged for several hours, while the scientists employed themselves in procuring an admirable type of mummified Esquimau-a chief buried some two years previously, whom we found clad in complete sealskin suit.
 Wrapping the body in an ulster we carried it down to the whaleboat, con- veyed it on board the Kite, and put it in a canvas gunbag, which we prompt 1y sealed.
 We had arranged that the affair was to be concealed from the crew, since, had they known of the circumstance. one and all would have refused to sail with so ghostly burden aboard. Our