The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-05-31
ESKIMO FAMILY
TAKES IN ST. PAUL
Little Folks From Aleutian Isl.
ands Stop Over on Way
to ST. Louis.


Looking exactly as if they had step
ped from the pages of a school geog-
raphy, nine Eskimos, with four tiny,
toddling children, en- route from their
homes in the Aleutian islands to ST.
Louis, spent yesterday afternoon in st.
Paul.
The curiosity with which they were
eyed by the muititudes on the streets
when they took a walk about lower
town late in the day was equal to the
surprise manifested by the quaint ex-
pressions on their grimy brown faces
and their incessant chattering as they
viewed the tall business blocks and the
crowds of well dressed people.
Cad in their primitive garments Of
bird skin and fur the party made a
picturesque group, rendered most
unique in contrast with the surround
Ing scenes of city life.
Ine members of the party represent
cd the most exclusive society in that
group of islands In the North Pacific
ocean stretching from the Alaskan
coast nearly as far west as the Sfbe-
ran coast Those islands, named the
Aleut1an group, belong to the United
states government, but they are nearly
sterile, and could support no popuIa-
ton but the fish-eating people from
which the visitors yesterday in the city
were selected.
Picturesque Family Group.
AS the small party wabbled along
the streets, husbands and wives arm
In arm, with their disengaged hands
clutch1ng the children, one would have
no difficulty in recognizing the leader
IN the paternal looking Ah-ku- shea,
hi Ia ios, =
counselor. Though less than five feet
In height he was the tallest in the
party, and the expression of self-con-
sclous superiority in his face led one
to instantly concede his Importance
His clothing was of sealskin, as we'll
as that of his wife Matrona, a plump
body no larger than a six-year- girl,
but with long black hair which hung
down her back.
The benignant expression upon the
countenance of Ah-ku- shea, the ruler
of over ESQ sons of the north sea ISL
lands, led one to regret that he could
not converse with the medicine man,
to learn the mysteries of an elegantly
carved magic horn which he carried
attached to a strap about his neck.
The cabal1stic figures upon the horn,
having portentous meaning to the
northern race, were most delicately
craven, but the medicine man, Jealous
of his token. refused to have it sub
mitted long to scrutinizing gaze.
Next in Importance to the counselor
was Nuk- chuk, who, by reason of nu-
merous perilous exploits, had earned
an enviable position in the Eskimo
community. He is an expert with the
bow and arrow, and also hunter of
seal, being an adept with the harpoon.
His wife, Herotena, an expert basket
maker, was one Of the smallest women
in the party and had a tiny baby which
she carried sWathed in blanket made
of down taken from the breasts of
eagles.
Little Man Killed BIG Bear.
Ah-mek-nuk, measuring Just three
feet eleven in his moccasin feet, has
with him the hide of huge Alaskan
brown bear, which will be exhibited at
the village to which the party is
bound. The hide is fourteen feet long
and ten feet wide, including the ex-
tremities, and little Ah-mek-nuk killed
that monstrous animal without a gun.
His wife, Agraphena, was no larger
than he. She led by the hand a two
year-old child who responded to the
melodious name Of All wan-ka.
One of the most unique characters
of the party was Ah-pak, an aged seal
otter hunter. He has to his credit on
pany 286 otter. His horny hands are
all disfigured from the teeth Of the
otter. His wife, Gosh, is a small,
sleek body, who Is famed in the
Aleutian islands for her skill as a bas-
ket maker.
Probably the member of the party
who will attract most attention at st.
Louis is Garman Stepiton, a typical
Eskimo, who has adopted a Euro
mean name He is the nOSt aYOert
navigator of the bidarka, the light sea-
going canoe in which the Eskimos
hunt their prey, and he will give exhi-
billions of his skill at the exposition.
The travellers arrived over the Great
Northern yesterday morning, and left
last evening on the Burlington for st.
Louis, where they will be placed in the
Eskimo village with ten inhabitants
of Labrador and Greenland. The party
was in charge of L. L. Bales, of Alas
ka, who provided for the wants of the
members while en- route