Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-02-03
COMMANDER PEARY REVEALS
rSy<IeID CUSTOMS.

When the world first heard the Perry
story It conceived It MS perhaps the
greatest stories of modern times. and as
It unfolds itself In IIampton's Magazine
we see that this great narrative is liv-
ing UP to ts reputation. There Is depth
and profundity to Commander Peary's
writing which IS rare indeed In general
writing to-day. and !s certainly seldom
II ever found IN the page OF u popular
magazine Yet when 1t IS found In such
II magazine as Hampton's. 1t at once
gives the periodical distinction and
dignity quite apart from the rest OF lis
rivals on the ncwstands. Certainly Pearys
story Is worth the phenomenal price paid
for 1t, and Hampton's worthy the serl'
Gus reading of every American citizen
In the February number of HamptonA
Magazine the Commander takes up the
Eskimo equipment of his expedition,
showing how he selected the necessary
men for his sledgc trips, and giving
vivid description OF a walrus hunt Con.
corning the Eskimos. he says:
1T is necessary for me TO pause now
in my narrative and give the reader
little general information regarding the
l1skimos, their nature, life, anc customs;
for. without some knowledge Of these
peculiar people 1T would be impossible
for any one really to understand the
work of my expeditions into theArctic
regions. IT has been fundamental prin-
ciple of all my Arctic work to utilize
the Eskimos for the rank and file Of
my sedge parties; and without the
skillful handiwork of the women we
| should lack the warm fur clothing which
is absolutely essential to protect us from
the winter cold; while the Eskimo dog
Is the only tractive force suitable for
serious Arctic sledge work.
The members OF this little tribe or
/ family inhabiting the western coast Of
Greenland from Cape York TO Etah are
in many ways different from the Eski-
mos of Danish Greenland. or those of
any other Arctic territory. There are now
| between two hundred and twenty and
two hundred and thirty in the tribe.
| Thry are savages. but they are not sa
wage; they are without government. but
! they are not laWless they are utterly
uneducated according to our standard,
Yet they exhibit remarkable degree
Of intelllence In temporal 1T like
children, With all childs delight in lit
| tie thurs, they are. nevertheless. endur-
! INK as the most mature of civilized men
and women, and the best Of them are
! faithful unto death. Without religion
/ Hrd having no idea OF God, they will
share their last meal with anyone:
who is hungry. while the aged and the
helpless among them are taken care Of
rs a matter Of course. They are healthy
and pure-blooded; they have no vices, no
/ intoXicants, and no bad habits--not even
gambling. Altogether. they are people
unique upon the face Of the earth 4
/ friend of mine calls them the philoaop-
I hic anarchists of the North.
! Il have been studying the Eskinmos
for eighteen years. since 1891, and no
more effective Instruments for Arctic
work could be imagined than these plump,
b rrOn2e-S kinned. keen-cyed and black
named children of nature. Their very
/ limitations are their most valuable en-
doWments for the purposes Of my work.
M various expeditions into that re-
gion have had the effect Of raising the
Eskmos from the most abiect destitu-
| ton, lacking every appliance and acces-
sorry OF life, to a position Of relative at
! fluence, with the best material for their
weapons their harpoors and lances, the
! best Of wood for their sledges. the best
| or cutlery, knives, matches. and saws
Tor their work, and the cooking utensils
! or civilization. Whereas thcy We're for
merly dependent upon the most primitive
! hunting weapons, they now have repeating
rifles. breech-loadinE shotguns. aud there
| was not rifle in the tribe when ! first
went there. As they have no vegetables.
and live solely on meat, blood, and hlub-
Der, the possession of guns and ammunl-
| Increased