Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-07-21
TRADING WITH ESKIMOS.
Huskies Now Demand Good Prices For
Their Curios.


At Fort Mcpherson, the most north
erly fur trading post in Canada, this
amusing incident occurred last sum-
mer. A lady tourist, who was making
collection of native curios, had
provided herself before leaving civili-
zation with a small outfit Of beads,
needles ETC., In the hope Of bartering
them to good advantage with the abo-
riginals Seeing some ivory carvings
in husky tent this lady intimated
that she wished to acquire them, and
offered in exchange first a few pack
ages Of needles and then some beads,
both of which were inspected and de-
corously handed back to her with a
shake Of the head.
After some talking the Eskimo
said he would only sell for pipe and
the curios were cheap at Sc to 81, and
the lady went to the Hudson Bay COM
pany's store and bought 81 worth Of
tobacco and a fifty cent pipe. These
were handed to the husky" who
courteously looked them over, and
then handing the pipe back remark
ed: Tobacco good; pipe no damn
good" The upshot was that the lady
had to invest IS in a pipe to obtain
the coveted curios.
The most sought for article of Es-
kimos manufacture Is the ivory
cribbage board, made out Of walrus
tusk These make both useful arti-
cles and handsome ornaments The
sides and ends are usually covered
with carvings Of wild animals, such as
walruses, whales, foxes, wolves, etc.,
and this work is in many cases ex-
tremely well executed.
A few years ago these cribbage
boards could be bought for a compar-
atively trivial sum, but now, owing to
number of tourists having paid alb
surd figures for them, the price has
mounted to an almost prohibitlVe
figure, from $50 to 500 being asked
for almost any specimen, while for an
unusually well carved board an Es-
kimos will not accept less than $125.
Other sought after articles produc-
ed by the "huskies" are bead and
shell earrings, soapstone candlesticks,
sealing spears, ivory fishhooks and
sinkers, and patchwork mats manu-
featured from a mixture Of splices OF
wild goat, seal and deerskins sewn
together in a regular and not unbeau-
tiful pattern.
The trade with the Eskimo is con-
Quoted on somewhat different lines to
that with the Indians. For a number
Of years past whaling schooners hall
Ing from San Francisco, have made
their winter quarters at Herschel Is
land, so as to be ready to commence
hunting these valuable mammals as
soon as open water appears. Their
crews have dealt largely with the Es-
kimos i'm furs and curios, paying
small prices and In return selling them
flour, bacon, tea, ETC., for considerably
less than the mere cost Of transport
ing such articles into the country by
the Mckenzie river route. However,
the schooner owners, finding that but
little of the profit accruing from the
transactions found its way into their
pockets, have largely put stop TO
the carrying of goous for trading pur-
poses.
AS a result a considerable number
of the Eskimo make their way by first
open water from Herschel Island and
the country east Of the Mckenzie riV-
er delta to the trading posts on the
lower river. On arrival they barter
their furs for whatever pleases them,
and then something special sewing
machine, steam tug or what not
catches a husky's eye, and he at once
wishes to purchase 1t. If 1t is not for
sale he at once orders one like 1t to be
brought in next year. This the trader
interested agrees to accomplish, and
the question Of price then comes up.
Now the price Is not put to the native
in dollars, as that would not involve a
sufficiently remunerative transaction.
Instead the trader says-in taking an
order for a phonograph, for instance:
You must bring me five lynx skins,
twenty white foxes and two mink
Very good" replies the husky, and
the deal Is closed. He arrives at the
post the following summer with the
pelts called for, and he Is an angry
man If his phonograph has not turned
up.
A short time ago an Eskimo pur-
chased a steam tug, which he is now
an adept in operating. and was charg-
ed therefore 100 white foxes. two No.
l silver foxes, thirty lynx and fifty
mink. AS the vessel cost but $1,000
at the point where sold, the transac-
tion was by no means unprofitable.-
ST. Paul Pioneer Press.