Fort Pierce news. (Fort Pierce, Fla.) 190?-1920, 1909-10-08


rears rolo us the story OF her lire-a
story which offered peep into the
comedy and tragedy of ESKIMO exist
ence. She had arranged a den unuer
shelter of sealskins among rue an
Choir chains. We had offered her
large bed with straw in It, ana
place between decks as better nest
for her brood Of youngsters, but she
refused, saying she preferred the open
air on deck
She had come from American shores,
and, as a foreign belle, her hand was
sought early. At thirteen Ikwa intro
duced her to a welded life not strewn
with blubber. He was cruel and not
s'o'oys truthful
Two girls graced their home. one
was now married. When the young
est was out of her hood, Ikwa TOOK
the children and invited her to leave
saying that he had taken to wire
Ahtah, plump maid and good
seamstress.
Nance had neither advantage. but
she knew something Of human nature
and soon found another husband,
good deal older. but better than the
first. Their life was a hard one Tor
Nordingwah was not good hurter
but their home WIS peaceabe. quiet
and happy. Two children enlivened
1t. Both were at her side on the
yacht. n boy Of eight the only dea'
and dumb Eskimo in all the land. ANA
a thin, pale weakling Of three.
Both had been condemned by the
Eskimo law of the survival of the fit
test, the first because Of insufficient
senses and the second because it was
under three and still on its mother'S
back when the father passed away
They were not to participate in the
strife of life. But an unusual mothe
loved them.
A few days before the previous win
ter the old father, anxious to provide
warm bearskins for the prolonged
night, had ventured alone far up int
the mountains. His gun went off acct
dentally, and he never returned.
The executor Of the brother of Ma
nees former husband was kind L
her for the long night and kept fam
inc from her door, In the summer
day she had been able TO keep herself
but who could provide for her foi
the night to come? Her only resource
was to seek the chilled heart of hel
former husband, and we were per
forming the unpleasant mission OF
taking her to him as wife No. 2.
When we later saw Ikwa he did mo-
thank us for the trouble we had taken
but we had expected no reward.
The speed of the yacht increased as
the night advanced. A snow squat
frosted the decks, and to escape thu
Icy air we sought our warm berths
early. At o'clock in the mornine
the gray gloom separated and til,
warm sun poured forth suitable
wealth of August rays.
At this tine we passed the ice bat
tered and storm swept cliff Of Capt
Parry. Beyond was Whale sound. or
a sea of gold strewn with ice island
Of ultramhrine and alabaster, whale
spouted and walrus shouted. The
grampus was cut early for fight
Large foeks Of little auks rushed ove'
on hurried missions.
Entering lnglefieId Gulf.
The-wind was light but the engine,
pulled us along at pace just fas
TO allow us to enjoy the suqcrl
surroundings. In the afternoon W,
We're well into lnglefeld gulf, aud mean
Ittiblu there was a strong head win,
and enough ice about to engage iii
eye of the lookout.
We aimed here TO secure Eskim
guides and with them seek caribou in
Olrick's bay While the yacht was
lacking for favorable berth in the
drift off Kanga the launch was low
cred and we sought to interview the
Eskimos of Ittiblu. There were only
one woman, few children and about
a score of dogs at the place The wo-
man talked quickly and explained at
some length that her husband and
others were away on caribou hunt
and she told us without leading Ques
tion the news Of the tribe for a year
After gasping for breath like smoth
cred seal, she began with news of pre-
vious years and history Of the for
gotten ages. We started back for th,
launch, and she invited herself to the