Los Angeles herald., 1906-07-15

k--Sr--t nation and King Winter enjoys
IeSeGSJ twelvemonths reign there dwells one
one of the most peculiar race of peo
pie on the face of the globe Little, very little
is known about these dwellers in Northern Asia
for few travellers have ever been able to win
their confidence and the men or women who can
speak their strange language are few indeed.
The Rev. j y. Stock of Syracuse, New York,
has succeeded in winning place at their freside
and while he tactfulv instiled into theit So
called heather minds the doctrines of the
! Christian Church and heard listened in amaze
ment to the rigid code of honor enforced by this
! peculiar. isolated tribe of Eskmos.
Although they are people apparently without
a literature, nletered and unversed in the
ways of civilization they put civilized, educat
ed man to shame by their advantage over him in
civil and moral rulings
They have spread their huts near the Obe and
the Yenisei Rivers and the peoples of these sep.
arde waters are friendly one with another but
with their relatives the island Of Nova Fam.
ba in the icy waters of the Arctic Ocean. they
have nothing to do, for it is to this island that
all the lawbreakers of this queer tribe of Eslii.
mos are banshed.
BAN1SHED FOR THEFT.
Lying and stealing are crimes not tolerated
and the most severe punishment is meted out to
the one guilty OF either OF these cifenses. The
offender is at once deported to the barren island
of Nova Zembia and he comes back to the land
OF his fathers at the risk of his life.
These exles are banished forever from their
own country and if caught Siberian shores
are brought before the head tribunal, the chief
of the tribe. and executed From this law there
Is no redress or appeal
Should one Eskimo give his word to an
other to withdraw his suit and allow the latter
to WOO maiden unhndered-and this is fire..
he abo lar opJ
should he fail to keep his word, wooing and win
ming the girl himself he would be guilty. accord
ing to the understanding of these people. of two
crimes. lying and stealing, and unless there were
strong appeal made he would be executed
Nothing would him from exile
4 promise is sacred thing among this race
and a broken word is considered the worst pos
sible form Of lying Taking another's character
stands side by side with this and receives the
same punishment.
1t is considered more degrading to be banished
for lying than for stealing unless the theft be of
sweetheart or another mans wife The crime
of stealing food is sometimes condoned and the
offender if he can prove that he or his family
actually suffering from want of food and
that every effort to it honestly failed, es-
capes with a severe reprimand.
An unwritten law exists among these people |
to the effect that shall refuse another
food and if the one starving prove that he
has asked in vain for fish or bread or bark from
a more fortunate brother, the who has re
fused aid loses caste and Is after given a
voice in the laws of his tribe.
The marital conditions the same as in civ |
ilized countries except that divorce and remar-
riage are not countenanced.
4 man NAV leave his wife or the wife her hus.
band. but neither can marry again while the |
other lives.
Where two men counting the same maiden |.
and there reasons why one suitor will be pre-
ferred above the other by the parents of the girl |
an arrangement is sometimes made between the |
two sutors whereby the undesirable one will
quietly withdraw from the field until after the
other has tried his luck. Should he fail to win
the girls affections number two is then counte,
nanced by the parents. all objections withdrawn .
and he may proceed with his wooing in the good
old-fa shioned way.
1t was the breaking of this promise to with
draw which spoken of early in the article |
Should this he done and the girl consent to mar
ny the erring lover the parents who have wit |
messed the compact between the rivals may bring |
the offender before the chief of the tribe and