Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1904-12-08
The immigration of the Esquimaux


the Esquimaux are defendants of
hardy wanderers from the frozen tun-
dra of Siberia who crossed Behring
Strait many centuries ago. They
were long on their eastward journey,
and by the time Gl Gleenland was reached
they had travelled nearly half around
the world in the northern zone.
1t was not known until this year
where ey crossed to the Greenland
coast, but the last link in the chain
of evidence is now supplied by the
map Of Sverdrup's travels in 1899
1902; and the light he has thrown
on the last stage Of Esquimaux wander
ings is more interesting and impor-
tant than the three large islands he
found in the unknown sea north OF
the Parry Archipelago.
The bridge on which they crossed
from Asia to Greenland was the ever
frozen sea uorta of our continent.
Their hslting places on the way were
the inhospitable shores of the many
islands strewn over that sea. Their
route is marked by the ruins OF huts
as they passed from island to island
and it was traced fifty years ago as
far east as Lancaster Sound, whose
wide mouth opens on Bafin Bay be-
yond which Greenland lies.
These ruins are distinguished from
those of abandoned Esquimaux en-
campments of modern times by their
appearance Of great antiquity.
The camps which Esqaimau1 or
explorers deserted fifty years ago may
appear today as fresh as though they
were occupied last year but the an
oient ruins are covered with NOES and
lichens and are often so indistinct
that it is difficult to recognize them
as the remains of huts which sheltered
human beings before Columbus dis
covered America around them are
tell-tale heaps Of the bones OF bears,
seals and birds, some of them cut with
sharp implements; and also ancient
graves, stone fox traps of pieces Of
sledges.
The journey to Greenland probably
occupied several generations. The
impelhng motive that kept the Es-
quimaux moving on across the frozen
straits and along the unknown shores
was the never ceasing search for bet
ter hunting and fishing grounds.
Compared with the shores and waters
of Greenland, teeming with many
forms of life, the great archipelago Is
an Arctic desert. The struggle for
existence among the Arctic nomads
was never more intense than on their
eastward pilgrimage.
At last they looked out toward
Greenland over a sea too wide for
them to cross and beyond which the
land of better promise was hidden.
Here Sverdrup took up the story Of
their wanderings as revealed by the
ruins along shores he was the fret to
tread.
Turning north across Jones, Sound
some of the wanderers hunted along
the east shore Of Ellesmere Land,
slowly moving northward till they
came to the narrow channel Of Smith
Sound others made their way up the
west shore and sscended the deep Bay
Fiord whose head is separated only by
a narrow neck of land from fords
leading straight to Smith Sound.
Moving along. these mighty canons
they met their fellows who had taken
the other route; and looking forty
FIVE miles over the ice they saw the
mountains of Greenland.
Here at last they found a resting
plsce-a region where millions of
edible birds nest on the cliffs; where
reindeer browse on the summer mead
ows and where currents and drifting
bergs keep pools and lanes of water
open to which walrus, seals and bears
resort. Along these shores from
Smith Sound TO Cape York iglOos
were built by these immigrants from
Asia, the progenitors of the Arctic
Highlanders of whom Psary has writ
ten so fully,