Norwich bulletin., 1909-09-16

efinB Tn the midnight chill
 They were odd looking specimens of humanity In height the men averaged but five feet two inches and the wom- en four feet ten inches. All had broad fat faces, heavy trunks and well rounded limbs. Their skin was slight ly bronzed. Men and women had coal black hair and brown eyes. The nose was short, and the hands and feet were short but thick.
 A genial woman was found at every tent opening, ready to receive the vis- itors in due form. We entered and had a short chat with each family.
 There was not much news to ex- change. After We had gone over the list of marriages and deaths, the luck of the chase became the topic of con- versition.
 It was a period of monogamy Myah had exchanged a plurality of wives for a larger team of dogs, and there was but one other man in the tribe with two wives.
 Women were rather scarce. Several marriageable men were forced to fore go the advantages of married life be- cause there were not enough wives for all. By mutual agreement several men had exchanged wives; in other cases women had chosen other partners. and the changes were made seemingly to the advantage of all, for no regrets were expressed.
 With no law, no literature and no fixed custom to faSten the matrimon- ial bond these simple but intelligent people. control their destinies with re- markable success.
 There was an average of three fat, clever children for each family, the youngest. as a rule resting in pocket on the mothers back.
 DwelIinqs of tke Eskin1os.
 The tent had a raised platform. up- on which all slept. The edge of this made a seat, and on each side were placed stone lamps, in which blubber was burned, with moss as a wick. Over this was a drying rack, and there was other furniture.
 The dress of furs gave the Eskimos a look of savage ierceness which their kindly faces and easy temperament did not warrant.
 On board the yacht there had been busy days of barter. Furs and ivory had been gathered in heaps in ex- change for guns. knives and needles. Every seaman, from cabin boy to cap- tain, had suddenly got rich in the gamble of trade for Drized blue fox skins and narwhal tusks.
 The EskiInos were equally elated with their end of the bargain. For beautiful fox skin, of less use to a na- tive than a dog pelt, he has\secured a pocket knife that would serve him half a lifetime.
 A woman had exchanged her fur pants, worth hundreds of dollars, for a red pocket hapdkerchief, with which she would decorate her head and igloo for years to come.
 Another had given her bearskin mits for needles, and conveyed the idea that she had the long end of the trade. A fat youth, with only smile, displayed with glee two bright tin cups. one for himself and one for his prospective bride. All of this glitter had been re- ceived ir exchange for an ordinary ivory horn worth about ninety dol lars.
 The Yacht Again Afioat.
 The midnight tide lifted, the yacht on an even keel from her makeshift dry dock on the beach, and she was pulled out into the bay and anchored for a villages in which the tribe had diyid- ed it's two lundred and fifty people for the current season. s-rf.-T> -7
 To study the people, to further en- courage the game of barter and to en- joy the rare sport of, yachting and hunting in mans northernmost haunts, we prepared to visit as many villages as possible.
 In the morning the anchor was rais- cd and the yacht set sail to a light wind headed for the more northern It was a gray day, with quet sea. The speed of the yacht was not fast enough to be exciting, so Mir. Bradley suggested lowering the launch for a crack at ducks, or a chase of walrus. or a drive at anything that happened to cut the waters.
 The hor xr-ou toLr ac if was hoped that a whale might come our way, but the gun proved unsatis- factory and did not contribute much to our sport. We were able to run all round the yacht as she slowly sailed over Wolstenholme Sound.
 Ducks were secured in abundance. Seals were given chase. but they were Saunders Islard a herd Of walrus was seen on a pan of drift ice far ahead of the yacht. The magneto was push cd, the carburetor opened, and out we rushed after the shouting beasts.
 Two with splendid tusks were ob- tained, and two tons of meat 'blubber were turned over to our Eskimo allies
 The days of hunting proved quite strenuous, and in the evening we were glad to seek the comfort of our cosey cabins when roast cider duck had filled a large gap.
 An Eskimo Widows Story.
 Among the Eskimo passengers pac- ing the deck was a widow, who, in tears told us the story of her life, a story which offered a peep into the and tragedy of Eskimo exist l ence. She had arranged a den under a shelter of sealskins among the anch- or chains. We had offered her large bed, with straw in it, and a place be- tween decks as a better nest for her brood of youngsters, but she refused, saying she preferred the open air on deck.
 To my question as to how the world had used her, she buried her face in her hands and began to mutter to her two boys, the youngest just in pants. | knew her early history so could un- derstand her story without hearing all | her words between sobs.
 She had come from American shores l and. as a foreign belle. her hand was | sought early At thirteen Ikwa intro- duced her to a welded life not strewn l with blubber. He was cruel and not l always truthful, sin for which his i brother. the angikok, or doctor. was 1 without his consent put out of harms | way
 Two girls graced their home. One l was now married. When the youngest was out of her hood. Ikwa took the | children and invited her to leave. say | ing that he had taken to wife Ahtah | 8 plump maid and good seamstress
 Nance had neither advantage, but | she knew something of human na- ture. and soon found another hus- band, a good deal older, but better | than tbe first. Their life was hard | one. for Nordingwah was not a good | hunter hq1t their home was Deacea h1e |