The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-08-30

White Men Along Cumberland Sound,
where News Is Two Years Old.
Montreal Star.

Montreal Star.
Probably the last white man to hear of
the death of Pope Leo will be the Rev.
James Peck, an Anglican missionary,
laboring among the Eskirnos in Cumber-
land sound, an inlet on the vast UNEMPLOYED
area north Of Hudson bay. He did not
learn of the death of Queen Victoria for
eighteen months after its occurrence, when
a storm-tossed whaler entered the region
and impaired to him the news in July, 1902.
This devoted cleric has established himself
i'm that far-off country in order to bring
the pagan Eskimos the blessings of the
Christian faith, but the extremes to which
men Will go In the pursuit of wealth are
illustrated by the fact that there are two
whaling stations in the same region, the
principals of which, German and a Scotch
man, have been thirty and thirty-seven
years there respectively, without once leav-
ing.
Cumberland sound il $50 miles north of
Hudson strait, and is one of the most DESC
late, cherries regions in the world. Two
whaling stations are established there, at
kekkerton and Blacklead, and the fishing
is done by the Eskimos. These, through in
tercourse with the civilized men and the
use of civilized weapons, have quite lost
their native art of killing the leviathans
with the primitive harpoons of bone and
flint, which their ancestors hurled with
stout arms from sealskin kayaks. firing out
the great creatures by inflated skin buoys
attached to ropes Of walrus hide
Instead, the Eskimos of to-day pursue the
hunt after the civilized fashion-in stout
wooden boats, with steel harpoons and
lines of hemp-and the industry paws chief
ly because such labor is so Cheap being
paid for i'm goods and necessaries of life.
AS has been the experience with aboriginal
races elsewhere, the Eskimo can no longer
return to his primitive conditions of ex-
istence. He would certainly starve if he
did, and therefore he must rely upon the
white man, to whom he becomes depend
ent-a slave. indeed. in all but the name
Scotchman, who for twenty-Seven years
mas remained welded to his solitary ex-
istence. The Blacklead station is controlled
by Mr.. Sheridan a German, who has seen
thirty years there. Both have amassed con-
siderable wealth, but evince no inclination
to return to the outer world, with all the
marvelS or science and art which have
marked the advancement of the last gener-
alton. Every two years a whaling steamer
from Scotland visits them, bringing sup
plies for them and their Eskimo followers
and removing the stocks of whale oil. whole
bone. hides, ivory and other articles of
trade accumulated in the meantime
With these self-exiled settlers money has
no meaning. Everything is done by barter;
every service paid for with a fragment of
iron or pound of biscuit. The profits of
e ou in Aberdeen Where the 0rod net
marketed and possibly, when beyond their
la Dor, these two recluSeS may make their
way back to civilization TO mourn the lost
advantages they are now too old to enjoy.
They live in frame houses, the only ones
besides the clergyman's, in that northern
land. They fare on canned foods, eked out
terror, steak from the whales captured,
a by no means unappetizing dish. But they
are not averse to the raw seal, bear and
walrus which the Eskimos affect for no
man can maintain his strength more than
a season or two I'm that latitude without
consuming large quantities of raw fat
meat.
The missionary, Mr.. Peck, has his sta
ton between the two whaling posts, and is
gradually civilizing the 800 Eskimos who
| comprise the population. The children are
| being taught English and can speak Eng
| iish but the status of existence is very
| low The natives are a jolly, happy, inof-
| fensive lot. but are slowly dying out from
| the whitening contact with civilization and
| the spread of diseases pertaining thereto.
| AS they become infirm they are practically
| pensioned by the whaling factors, and as
| their requirements are but small, it is not
| a serious matter to insure them against
want and distress in this world.
1t is remarkable what a fascination the
| frozen and remote north has for those who
come into contact with ii. The factors of
| the Hudson Bay Company have all spent
| ten to thirty years in the wilds, and prefer
| to remain there longer rather than to dwell
| among cities afterward. 1t is the same
| way with explorers. Never a man ventures
within the polar zone but Is consumed with
| a desire to return there, though the desire
| to achieve scientific conquests in the icy
wastes relieves them from the charge OF
| the more sordid considerations which ap-
| ply to those whose lengthy sojourns in the
| northlands are dictated by an effort to
amass some of the worlds goods.