The sun., 1918-12-13
LAST PEARY ESKIMO
DIES OF PNEUMONIA
Meme Wallace, Stricken by
Grip, Longed to Go Back
to Beloved Northland.
TRIED TO JOIN U. S. NAVY
Brought Here in 1900, Re-
turned to Arctic, but Came
Back Here Again.

Meme Peary Wallace. last living
member Of the Eskimo family Ad-
miral Peary brought with him to the
United States from the Far North in
1900, has gone the way OF all his race
when they attempt life out Of the
Arctic. A letter received yesterday by
james Beecroft. OF Pelham Manor,
with whom the young Eskimo once
made his home. tells OF his death in
New Hampshire October 20 from
pneumonia He had been working IN
logging camp for Alton C. Hall Of
Pittsburg. n. H., was taken Ill with
influenza and died at Mr.. Halls home
without having again seen the frozen
Greenland wastes which have called
to him continually for almost twenty
years. Meme has never been happy
here because the North was In his
blood and he never could forget 1t
for long.
Meme was about 81 years old. When
he was little he was about the bright
est OF the Eskimo lads Admiral Peary
knew in the Arctic village Of Etah
on the west coast of Greenland,
which was the base Of so many of the
explorers expeditions toward the
pole. When Peary returned TO New
York in 1900 on his ship the Roose-
welt he brought Meme and Mene's
father and mother and three brothers
with him.
DaszIed by Civilization.
They were wide eyed with wonder
at the white mans igloos, which
seemed as high to them as the desc
late mountains which fringe Smith
Sound. Although Eskimos who live
for enough north to escape contact
with civilization are almost never Ill,
there Is something about civilization
which Is fatal to the swarthy little
people, and even in villages where
whalers touch and where MoraNan
missionaries make infrequent visits
they are prone to tuberculosis, pneu-
monia and other malsdies, which al
most always prove fatal. And so,
seven months after the family reached
here, Meme was the only one left
alive.
Soon after Meme came here he was
adopted by William Wallace and lived
with him for several years. Then he
made his home with Mr.. Beecroft at
Pelham Manor, to whom he became
greatly attached. The death Of his pa
rents and brothers added to his home
sickness and the feeling never left him.
His suffering was 50 intense that when
Peary returned to Greenland in 1906
he took Meme with him as far as Etah.
continuing bis trip northward and
eventually reaching the pole.
Returns to White Men.
When the Mcmillan expedition
reached Etah Meme was engaged az
guide. He returned to Etah with
1t, his association with white men
again stirring something which made
him want to sec the white mans coun-
try once more. although he never could
explain just why. So in 1916 Meme
left Etah with his dog team and
mushed 400 miles over fields of
ice and snow to the Danish vii
lage OF Banjkl. in the south OF
Greenland, where he slowed away on
board a vessel and worked his passage
20 New York He had been here but
4 few DAYS when the old longing for
the North seized him and he wanted
20 90 back. hut nc never could.
Meme tried to enlist in the navy. our
was rejected. He was vigorous pAysi-
cally. an expert rife shot and could
ride n horse like one of his distant
kinsmen the Tartars.
In his letter to Mr.. Beecroft, Mr..
Hall said Meme lived only seven days
after tine Influenza came. The doctors
said he must be buried at once, so
he was, in the little cemetery at Pitts
burg.