New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-04-17


Felix.
Pint whether the Esqumau subslsts on whale
,,uhber or the flesh OF the seal, the rapacity
:, civilized man has depleted his sources Of
Tod supply TO such an extent that he is rap
rr anproaching a condition where starvation
Ia-ss him i'm the face The whalers have al
.,ost eyterrnnated the various species of whale,
,,urebv cutting off the supply of whale blubber,
lilo the seal hunters have ruthcssy reduced
,he seal herds until the Esquimau can no longer
,o,end upon seal meat To assuage the pangs of
-. hunger that is intensified by the rigors Of a
..,.ore climate 1t is even now declared by
cavaliers who have penetrated to the more re-
,,o,e northern regions Of Alaska that many
,,ousands Of Esquimaus perish every year from
sheer starvation.
II is the testimony Of Government officials
ubo have made reports on the industries and
habits Of the Esquimaus through the Govern
mont Bureau Of Ethnology that this race is worth
saving This is the opinion. also. of all the
travellers and writer's who have studied the
Esoumau in his native cline. The problem that
confronts the Government Is: Shall the Govern
nent feed the EsQumaus as it now feeds the
North American Indians. or shall il encourage
the propagation Of animals and the introduc-
ton Of industries that will gradually enable
Them to maintain themselves without outside
aid?
Captain Miner Bruce one Of the best friends
of the EsQuimau, a noted Alaskan traveller who
has spent the greater part OF a busy life among
the Esquimaus. and to whom cthnOlogists are
indebted for vast amount of information re
gardng their social habits. physical pecuari-
tjes and industrial implements believes that
the salvation of this Interesting race lies in the
PROPAGATION Of the Siberian reindeer 10y the
Government. He believes that 1t would be the
mart Of wisdom for the Government To furnish
the Esquimau with this most valuable aid to his
struggles for subsistence instead Of being com
PEELED at no distant day to make heavy appro-
pratons for dealing out ratons to a people
who have been deprived Of their natural food
products by commercial greed
1t is TO impress the officials at Washington
with the soundness OF these views that Captain
Bruce is now on his way to Washington with
ompany Of eish, Esquimaus from Arctic Alaska
The party consists Of lp-E-Amer. man thirty
,ears old and his wife Ty- Arng Nick, who is
about twenty years old; their baby girl, Ne-Ak-
sever a young man Kyo-quassi, about twenty
Gears old: another woman, lIow-pe-y"r. asch
hirty-tWO years, her daughter, ky-uk-ta' VII"
9 about twelve years old: also twin girls, seven
ears old. who were given to Captain Bruce
" their parents to he educated. and whom the
'aptain has adopted 1t Is probably the most
Interesting delegation Of fur-clad natives OF the
rozen regions Of the North that ever visited this
ountry 1t Is their first glimpse Of civilization
hey have no know ledge OF the English Ian
,uage. Their sphere OF observation has been
bounded by ice-cad hills and frozen streams
CAPTAIN Bruce established the first Govern
nent reindeer stations In Alaska in 1872 and
Sg3 Since that time he has made annual
,ilgrimages to this country To secure from IN"
Government more generous aid for reindeer
propagation In Alaska.
CAPTAIN Bruce believes that the Siberian rein
,eer must solve not only the food problem for
he Fsouimau but also the transportation ana
mining prohlem in Alaska TIE reindeer is fleet
" foot has great endurance, is easily dornes-
heated and thrives in cold cline. Reindeer
neat and milk constitute the most nutritious
10, known 10 the native Alaskans and Sbcrians.
In Alaska where the reindeer was transplanted
rom Siberia by Dr. Sheldon Jackson, TINS AMI
nal can subsist upon a moss which grows under
Re snow in great exuberance. He paws away
he deep snow until ne finds rich tuft OF moss
and easily catisncs his hunger with tbs peculiar
,ort OF food Indeed the reindeer seems to nave
been made expressly for the Esqumaus. He IL
,nt oolv valuable for TRANSPORTATION and for