The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1899-07-01
BIG AMONG ESKIMOS.
>KoR- R-Ko-yyAS IS PLUTOcRAT OF
GREENLAND. %: Il :s5:.
Hc Ownes Ter Wives Who Keep His
Clothes In Good Repair-Recently Put
4 New Window in His House se-Caused
Great Excitement. !. III III,

When the Arctic whaling feet re-
turned from the north last season it
brought word that Kor-ko-ya had
placed new window in, his house. AS
matter Of news in ordinary building
circles this would pass, unnotieed, but
TO those who have travelled where the
SUE shines at midnight the intelligence
IS extremely Interesting. For a de-
eade OF years the growing. opulence Of
kor-4so-ya, otherwise known as the
Eskimo millionaire has been
watched with great curiosity by the
Whalers and the occasional explorer
He has long been known: as; a thrifty
man. as thrift goes in the Arctic re-
glons,. but it is only of late that his
fortune has assumed really wonderful
proportions. It is said that be, now
owns NO fewer than seven kayaks and
full tWo-score of bone-tipped, double
bladed paddles. His stock Of blubber
tor the winter of 1878 consisted Of
over sixty parcels" weighing, 100
pounds each. In addition to- this he
sold to traders half as many, receiving
Id part payment the new window al
ready mentioned. His thirty dogs are
all crossed with = the Newfoundland
breed, which makes them especially
valuable for hauling purposes, and a.
Oetter f1aVor as an article of diet in
time OF famine OF sealskins, foxskins,
bearsklns, raw eiderdown feathers,
"naleoone, narwhal ivory and reindeer
hldes he has enough to keep him. in
plenty for some years. But it is in.
wives that he is considered richest. In
MS nome igloo up on the western
shore OF Baffin bay he has ten, all par
tlcularly. strong of jaw, and able to
Keep kor-ko-yas stock of clothing
ever soft and pliable. The Importance
OF this will be understood when the
ESKIMO custom Of chewing skins is. un-
derstood. Kor-ko-ya was born in:
lS4l, at a small native settlement a.
snort distance north of what is now
the Danish town of Ju4ianehaab, in
Greenland. He left his home at an
early age and crossed Baffin bay, max
ing his igloo with another tribe famous
- = - e0 04o VI SGdl. lie Was Known to
some Of the early explorers and acted
as mead guide and chief teamsman to
them. He attracted notice even in his
teens as thrifty youth, and from that
time became prominent among the Es-
klmo. Saving is an unknown art to the
Indians of the Arctic regions, and it is
seldom they accumulate enough to last
them throughout the long winter.
Kor-ko-ya became an exception. He
was skillful hunter and a shrewd
trader, and before he was 20, his main
igloo became the center of the village
IN regard to fittings and attractive
ness. The tribe to which he had at
tached himself was one of the largest
and most influential Of that part of the
country, and by his twenty fifth year
kor-ko-ya was recognized as the head.
1t is said that men came ECO miles to.
consult him in affairs of the chase and
trade. He became well known to the
hardy whalers, and today his doings
form subject of comment and inter-
est IN more than one country. And
that is why the news that he had
placed another window in his house
was carried over 1000 miles of ice and
water, to be discussed over pipes and
ale IN dozen civilized seaports.