Douglas Island news., 1904-11-16

lN
 EsKIMos AT THE WORLDS FAIR.
 The St. Louis Fair is particularly rich in subjects of ethnological inter- est. and tribes from almost every cor her of the earth are gathered withinits inclosure. One of the best exhibits of this kind is the Eskimo Village, the in habitants of which, representing two tribes. one from Labrador and the other from Alaska, localities that are 2.7OO miles apart, have been brought to the fair by "Dick" Crane, pioneer Alaskan explorer and trader, whose picturesque history is well known throughout the new gold fields. After many years residence among these people. he had so far won their conf dence that he was able to persuade several families, nine in all, to come to St. Louis. With them he brought twenty-six Eskimo dogs, large num- Der of sleds, native implements of the chase and of domestic use, and mus cum of articles illustrative of Eskimo life. The whole exhibit is one of the most genuine of its kind, and the Am erieaa citizen may see these strange people of the North housed in their summer tents of sealskin or their win ter "igloos" or snow houses, and engag- ed. the women in their domestic duties of sewing, cooking, etc, and the men in their various feats of skill, whether in the hunt or in their pastimes, of which they are unusually fond. MT. Crane has made a careful study of the Eski- mo, and has formed a high opinion of his kindly disposition and sturdy qualities. He is satisfied that it is a mistake to suppose that because of certain facial similarities, these people are of Japanese or other Asiatic origin; rather he is disposed to think that they are branch of the North American Indian, whose peculiarities of physical and facial makeup are due to climatic and other formative influences. They are a people that use the upper part of the body far more than they do their lower limbs, consequently they are enormously strong in the arms shoulders and back, a fact which is proved by various feats of lifting and carrying that they perform in their native village. The cold climate and the complete isolation of the people have combined to produce that exceed ingly kindly and friendly disposition which shows in the genial countenance of the Eskimo, and is evidenced by the winning smile and outstretched hands with which they come out of their tents and greet the visitor They live four or five together during the winter, in their igloos, which they can build in from twenty minutes to half an hour. For a window they use block of [ LfauS DdTSuO 1CS. U OOAA OA lNO "AAA VI O"NA into one of these warm abodes, with a whale or seal oil lamp, consisting of a hollow dish with little moss for a wick, which serves to give them both light and heat. The temperature, when the lamp is lighted. will soon run up to ninety degrees.
 The sociability of the Eskimos has won them many friends among fair goers; their abodes are sweet and wholesome, and they may be seen con- tinually washing their clothes, while in spite of their close quarters there is no offensive odor noticeable.
 One of the most interesting of our photographs shows what is neither more or less than a "dogmobile." It seems that a few years ago, when Crane was carrying mail and other matter over 22-mile route on the Dawson trail, a "tenderfoot" came into the country bringing with him, of all things in the world, bicycle, which he quick ly discarded. It occurred to the trader