Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1906-12-08
FURTHEST WEST.
Americas Extreme Western Point and
the People Who Live There.

The most western point on the Ameri-
can continent is a bold granite mountain
300 feet high, very abrupt on the sea
side and sloping gently toward the in
terror.
From this mountain one can see long
stretch of the mainland of Siberia. The
American point is Cape Prince of Wales
That on the Siberian coast is East Cape
The string of islands running between
the two leaves only fourteen miles of
open sea between them. The passage
is not, difficult one and is often made
IN few hours in the open skin boats
OF the Esquimaux, who inhabit both
coasts. Every winter it is possible to
cross on the ice.
Cape Prince of Wales has the reputa-
ton of being the most inclement place
IN the world. But the very elements
combine in making it one of the great
hunting places of the Arctic regions.
The whale, walrus, bear and seal, fol-
lowing the ice south in the fall and north
ia the spring, pass though this compare
lively narrow channel.
This accounts for the cape having one
of the largest Esquimau settlements on
the Arctic coast. The cape village is the
clearing house for a large region. Furs
come from far up the Yukon and the in
terror to be exchanged for Siberian rein
deer skins.
The natives are heavy. strong of arm
and back and very light on their feet.
They are short legged, but very fleet
footed and great jumpers. They begin
to practice jumping as soon as they can
walk.
Their favorite way of jumping is to
spring up and kick with the toes of both
feet and come down again on their feet.
Many of them can in this way touch a
point from twelve to thirty inches above
their heads.
In looks they resemble the japanese
far more than the Chinese, says the
Southern Workman. but they are lighter
in complexion and very ruddy faced. The
some are handsome. Their eyes are a
clear brown and very bright and their
eyeSight is marvellous.
Their food is what the sea- produces
seal, walrus, whale and fish The hair
seal is the most useful. 1t furnishes the
skin for footwear, mittens, trousers. ma
terial for nets, ropes and bags for oil.
The flesh is used for food; the blubber,
which is the largest part of the SEAL fur
nishes oil for food, light and heat. The
quantity of seals seems to be unlimited.
Unlike the fur seals the hair seal never
comes ashore. 1t is captured in nets,
and when the ice forms it is shot
The walrus furnishes the covering for
the big canoes and also for the houses
and makes the heavy ropes. The flesh is
stored on scaffolds where the native
cache most of their supplies.
At all seasons of the wear there is an
abundance of fish. Every river teens
with salmon, grayling and trout. All
winter tomcod and founders are caught.
The Esquimaux dry large quantities in
the summer. but their favorite food is
always fresh meat or fish.
This fresh food supply accounts for
the remarkable health of the people.
Scrofula and tuberculosis are not com
mon. The excessive meat diet often
produces scurvy, but in mild form.
Hunting and travelling in the extreme
cold and wet bring on rheumatism and
many are crippled from it and by acct
dents. 1t cannot be said that they are
long lived people
In temperament they are excitable and
emotional. fun loving. happy and So
ciable The hard conditions under
which they live do not seem to make
them gloomy or morose: they are always
cheerful and they joke with one another
necessarily.
Morally they are above the average of
native peoDle. They respect property
rights, and stealing is not common.
Their marriage relations are very loose.
Polvoamy is not common. but they break
off marriage relations and maze new
ones with little reason. and without dis
turhin@ the neace of the community