The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-10-22
WRITES OF
 ESQU|MAUX TRIBE Mere Handful of People Who
 Live Isolated DON'T NEED CIVILIZATION These People Have Escaped Contain mating Touch of White Men and Are Destined to Live Their
 Lives Unmolested.
DON'T NEED CIVILIZATION
BY ROBERT E. PEARY.

The following is an excerpt from an
 article sent by Commander Peary to the
 New York World from Etah, Labrador: Scattered along the shores of an arctic
 oasis, the west coast of Greenland, be-
 tween Melville Bay and Kane Basin, a
 little trible of Esquimaux-they number
 but 253 in all-is found maintaining its
 existence in complete isolation and inde- pendence.
 In several ways these Esquimaux are
 unique among aboriginal tribes, and their idiosyncrasies in these matters compel my admiration and respect.
 They have no unnatural or depraved ap- pettes or habits, no stimulants or intoxi- cants no narcotics, slow poisoning. Nor do they in any way mutilate or dis figure the form the Creator gave
 them or modify or pervert the natural functions. Neither have they any medi-
 cines. Their diseases are principally rheu- matism and lung and bronchial troubles. The causes of death among the men come largely under the terse western express sion with their boots on."
 A kayak capsizes and the occupant is into the icy water; hunter harpoons a
  blight of the line catches round arm or leg and the big brute drags him under to his death; an Iceberg capsizes as he is passing it. a rock or snow-slide from the steep shore cliffs crushes him, or bear tears him morta1ly with a stroke Of his paw, and so on. Occasionally, in the past
 starvation has wiped out an entire village. On the death of man or woman. the body fully dressed. Is laid straight upon a | articles of clothing placed upon it. It Is then covered with another skin, and the whole covered in with low stone struc- l ture to protect the body from dogs, foxes and ravens
 Lamp Placed by Grave. A lamp with some blubber Is placed | close to the grave, and If the deceased is | a man, his sledge and kayak. with his weapons and implements. are placed close | by, and his favorite dogs, harnessed and | attached to the sledge, are strangled to accompany him.
 | If woman, her cooking utensils and l the frame on which she has dried the | family boots and mittens are placed be-
 side the grave. If she has dog, 1t Is | strangled to accompany her; and if she has baby in the hood, 1t. too, must die | with her
 If the death occurred in a tent, the poles are removed, allowing it to settle l down on the site, and it is never used again. but rots or is finally blown away. ! If tho death occurred in an igloo, 1t is vacated and is not used again for long 1 time
 To many a good person the thought at l once arises: Poor things !why don't we | send some missionaries to them and con- vert or civilize them? Or. why wouldn' t l 1t be good plan to take them away from their awful home to a pleasanter region@' To both of these I answer at l once. God willing. never either" When l think of the mixed race in South Green land. which. In spite of the fostering care of the Danish government. is still like | most half-bred human products inferior | to either original stock; when l think | of the miserable wretches along the west coast of Baffins Bay, vile with disease, vtiated with rum, tobacco and contact with the whalers, and then think of my l uncontaminated. pure -blooded, vigorous | faithful little trible l say: "No, God grant no civilization to curse them" What He Has Done. | What have I done in the past and hope to do in the future. is to put them