The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-04-27
BY MEME,
The Eskimo Boy.

The Eskimo Boy.
NEW YORK. April 27.-There were
300 Eskimos in our village in rGeen.
land when Peary first camo there. We
didn't know that there were any other
people In the world beside us. We
lived In snow houses, and have learn
ed in schol that we lived the farthest
north Of any human beings. The
Humboldt glacier was near our Village,
and several explorers thought they
we're doing wei when they got even
as far as where we lived.
Peary's guns attracted us most. My
father used 70 have flint knives with
which he killed polar bears and wal
ruses. He took his life In his hands
whenever he went out to get food,
He was the chief Of the village, and
his name was Keeshoo. Peary's men
went out with their guns and we saw
them hide behind suowdrifts and kill
bears without going near them. My
father, who loved his tribe, saw that
guns would be q fine thing for us.
So Peary promised my father to
give him guns Y he would come to
America and bring four other Eslu-
mos with him. Ny father agreed and
chose me and two Eskimo girls and
another man from the village. And
SO we took ship.
Oh, II we had only known what ter
rible things awaited us!
New York was wonderful to see.
But New York seemed to think we
were as wonderful. We were kept
down In the hold of the ship and
were exhibited for q long time. Thou
sands Of folks came to see US. We
didn't get any money for 1t. We didn't
neew money.
Pretty soon they moved us to the
National Museum Of history. Lots OF
people came to see us here, My IA
Their used to worry because we didn't
see anything more of Peary, the man
we had known as at our home.
Lonoed for Frozen North.
My father began to worry about how
to get back to his people.
Then one OF the girls was taken sick
one morning They took her away.
Then the other girl was taken sick.
They took her away, too. Then the
man was taken sick They took him
away. Only my father and I were
left. He kept thinking that Peary
at night he used to talk only of that
and Of getting back home with his
guns.
Then, all Of sudden, my father be-
gan coughing. 1e grew weaker and
weaker. A doctor came to look at
him one day and the next day they
came and took him away to a hospital,
and he died.
Pretty soon I began to see that the
folk that came to the museum were
not interested In Eskimos any longer.
Then the museum people got Mr.. VIM.
Wallace, superintendent OF the mu-
scum to adopt me. He took me home.
1t took me many weeks to feel that
I was myself again. They told me
that my father had been buried.
Then Mr.. Wallace got into trouble
about me. He thought the museum
people ought TO send me back. Morris
K. Jessup, who is now dead, president
Of the museum, didn't like Mr.. Wal
lace's idea. Some feeling arose be-
tween them. The first thing I knew
Mr.. Wallace was let out of his place
In the museum. But he was still as
kind to me as II I were his own son.
He sent me to school and bought me
clothes. Mrs. Wallace told me all
about the Bible and went to Sunday
school.
One day heard good news. Peary
was going back to my home. / danced
up and down when heard IT, Home.
homo, home" l almost shouted, over
and over to myself. thought of all
the folk back there that knew and
how glad they would be to see me.
was so happy I could hardly stand
It. Oh, but | was fool. didn't know
science and civilization then as | do
row. Mr.. Peary told me there was
not room for me on his boat.
Then one day I went up to the
museum 10 see DR.. Herman Bumpus.
the man who had taken Mr. Wal.
laces place. wanted to know about
my fathers body. At the museum I
found out from a man knew that the
body had been on exhibition In the
museum.
This was a terrible thing for me 10
hear Couldn't they let my fathers
body rest In peace?
When | got hold OF DR.. Bumpus |
demanded the body, I said | wanted
to take Il back with me. DR.. Bumpus
said he didn't know where the BODY
was. He said he'd take the matter up.
/ never have been able TO locate the
body to this day, know now II WASH
buried. II was al the museum.
The next day Mr.. Peary's boat sail.
ed. II took with Il all my hopes.
have read the story Of Robinson Cru