The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-01-12
Chief of the Tribe.

been the exhibitions that it was be-
lleved that there did not remain upon
the earth race, some of whose mem
bers have not been gazed upon by visi
| tors to a worlds fair.
But at the Seattle fair, for the first
time, there win be on view an extraor
binary race, natives from the arctic
shore of Siberia. They are called Els
! klmo because of their similarity in
costume and habits to the natives of
the most northern part of America,
but they belong to an entirely differ
ezt race
Thirty-four of these natives will
show visitors to the exposition their
manner of life. They were recruited
! from three different villages, and. al
though all lived within radius of $50
miles, the inhabitants of one village
speak language almost unintelligible
to the inhabitants of the others.
1hree tribes are represented by
these 81 Indians. Two are known as
Sealmen and the other as Deermen.
The Sealmen come from the coast and
live on seals. while the Deermen come
from the interior and live chiefly on
venison.
Capt A. M. Baber, an arctic trader,
who possesses the confidence of the
natives, is the man who persuaded
these Indians to leave their homes. He
was. assisted by w. P. Bissner, who
is conversant with the various Siber-
ian dialects.
The party was brought to Seattle
this fail, because the Arctic is not
open for navigation until July and it
would then be too late to bring the
savages out of their homes. At the
present time they are living on an
abandoned fishing camp on Hoods
canal, where they are able to hunt and
fish and lead the primitive existence
to which they are accustomed. Since
their arrival baby has been born.
The struggle for existence occupies
the waking moments of the Siberian to
the exclusion of everything else. When
he is not killing for food, he is killing
for clothing and rich is he who has
enough food to last him through the
long winter. Seal, walrus, sea otter
and various kinds of fish are the sta
pie articles of diet of the Sealmen.
lhe Deermen use some fresh water
fish and deer and bear meat. The &C.
caslonal eggs of Wild fowl vary the
bill of fare.
Black tea, hard bread and sugar are
the greatest Injuries to which the ST.
berian Indians aspire. Once in year
or so white trader will visit the
country and bring these delicacies 10
the natives
Their ilard fight for bare existence
has not rendered them selfish. If the
food supply of one family runs out, the
others contribute TO the support of the
unfortunates as Il matter of course. If
hunter strays away from his tribe,
he feels no embarrassment in asking
aid from members of any other viii
lage that he may reach. Inter-tribal
wars are unknown, and the various
communities live in amity,
Their absolute barbarism is best
demonstrated by their treatment of
the old or crippled. A natural death
is almost unknown. When a man or
woman reaches that stage of life
where he or she is unable to do
part in the daily labor, he or she is
killed. Centuries of tradition have es-
tablished the custom, and the victim
takes it as matter of course The
execution is public ceremony, and
hanging is the usual method OF dis
patching the unfortunate.