Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1902-04-03

high development of it's arts under the
| most unfavorable surroundings; its
long heads, contrasted with the broad
heads of Indians and Mongolians
while yet the cast of countenance is
decidedly Monaghan; its musical gift
so decidedly European, as contrasted
with the music of many races supposed
to stand much higher: it's highly de
velOped social instanct, while yet the
altruistic instanct seems feeble
Whence came they? Who are their
nearest kin? It is generally assumed,
OF course, that they came from Asia
acquired their arctic habits in Alaska
and then spread eastward to the Amer
lean archipelago and to Greenland at
comparatively recent period. The
fact that the barren ground bear.
known to the Alaskan natives by the
name of aglak, is also known TO our
northern tribe under the name aglah-
sOa, a fabulous animal said to fight
with the polar bear, would point TO a
western origin, were it not known that
there has been recent communication
between Smiths Sound and Baffin
Land
Certain resemblances have been
pointed out between the Esquimaus
and the prehistoric Europeans, and it
has been suggested that the latter
may have found their way to Green
land by the former land connection
which has to be assumed to explain
the resemblance in fauna and fora.
This theory, of course, would disre-
gard the well authenticated statement
that the early Norsmen found main
TO be explained why there are no
Esquimau remains in Iceland If
one cared to theorize on accidental re
semblances of words, he would find a
rich field in comparing the Es11imau
with Aryan languages. Here are a
few examples: Ingneng fire., Latin
ignis; padlekto Ito falD, Russian pa
dat; tamma (this). Russian tam
(there). But these are mere curiosi-
ties, for a genetic relation is utterly
inConceivable.
If these interesting questions are to
be solved it is high time that an en-
deavOr be made to preserve the living
material on which alone the obserya-
tons can be made AS already noted
this nOrthernmOst Esquimau tribe is
loyed with white blood. The only
evidence to the contrary that l was
able TO notice were two small half
breed children and one old woman.
AtuhSu. at Cape York, whose one re-
naming eye was of unmistakabIe blu
ish gray The protracted stay of a
ship near the native settlements in
volving almost daily contact between
sailors and natives. is to be deprecated.
No regulations in this respect can be
enforced unless the natives are taken
under government protection. At pres
ent they are literally anarchists. hav-
ing no government whatever. Though
the whole of Greenland is generally re-
garded as Danish possession, yet the
Danes disclaim any control north of
latitude IA. The natives themselves
have not the slightest notion that they
have prior claim on the land or it's
products The United States Govern
ment has in recent years shown a de-
cided interest in the cause OF science,
and it seems not altogether absurd to
imagine that it might for scientific
and humanitarian purposes take the
land on both sides of Smiths Sound
under its control.
Great Britain and Denmark would
have to be consulted, but neither
would object; in fact, l was told that
the Danish government would be only
too glad il Greenland were taken off
it's hands For the sake of the natives
it is to be hoped that no mineral
wealth will ever be discovered north
of Cape York The care of the natives
ought to be intrusted to a scientific
institution, not to commercial COM
pany, whose object would be merely
to fleece them. In order to remain
valuable subjects for study, as well as
in order to remain Self-SuppOrtlng,
they ought to be left as much as pos
sible in their present condition, eX-
cept in so far as this condition implies
suffering that can be readily done
away with for he would be sorry
csientist who could stand. notebook
in hand, watching the distress Of hui
man being whom he could easily re-
lieve. A permanent station ought
to be set up at Cape York, occupied by
two, tire or four white men, prefer
ably married. The whaling steamers
touching at Cape York every year
would present a convenient means to
supply the station when once eStab-
lished Ships landing anywhere along
that shore would be subject to the
government rules, which ouhgt, if pos
sible. to enforce disinfection. No
hunting would be allowed except by
special permit. In this way the
whale, which used to be plentiful in
those waters, might perhaps be in
duced to return to Whale Sound. The
| reindeer, now practically restricted tc
| Academy Bay and WOlstenhOlme
| Sound, ought to be protected every
where outside these two localities
The musk OK, which formerly lived or
! tnlS coast, might oe relhlIouuCeu iloIl
| Ellesmere Land, only fifty miles
away. and would soon constitute {
valuable resource. Geological parks
all over the world might thus be readi
ly supplied with specimens of this
unique animal.
The language of the tribe. though
closely related to that of Danish Green
! land, is yet sufficiently distinct to b.
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