PEARY AND THE ESKIMOS

Evening Star, Issue 14535, 10 December 1910, Page 10

PEARY AND THE ESKIMOS

The, world is just a little tired of li caring nbont the conquest of the Nortli Pole, but Captain Scott's forthcoming I'olar dasii from New Zealand may excite a sympathetic interest in Peary's narrative of his Arctic triumph, published this week in a handsome, and substantial volume. Unfortunately it lias nil been told before—first in the newspapers, then in the magazines. Everyone. Juts read Peary's description of his sensation on reaching the Noiih Pole, and the words he wrote in his diary:— The Pole at laid.! The prize of three eontuties! 'My dream and e,:>.d for twenty years. Ai'ino at List! I cannot brinij myself to realise it- i; seems all so simple and commonplace. .Newer, and therefore more ititerestinu, are his notes on llie, Eskimos, who piaved so important a part in the eonfi'.if;,-,|. of the Pole. '• With their help the world shall discover tho Xorth J'oi'e." v.'ffit! Pcury many year's of the Eskimos. And for eighteen years, he tells us, he has been training them in his methods. " I know evei'y man, woman, ami child in the tribe," hr, says, " from Cape York to Kir.li," and to a laiee circle of his readers Commander ivsry's delineation of the character a.'id habii.s of the, interestine; possessors of these, everlasting snows will form a most pat f of the slorv.

''Th:> Eskimos are not brutes," he declaims with emphasis; "iliey are just as hum.l.l ;;■; Caucasians." They served the explorer well. .\',\i] I hey are a curious :uid knowing people. One. woman travelled 'piO miles in the hope of seeing a wiiito woman in the party. Without', any idea ol religion, they will share their last meal v, iih anyone wlio is hungry. They are healthy and pure blooded, they have no vices, use no intoxicant-:, and are without had habils. They subsist mainly on meat, blood, and blubber. The women are short :•,'•' phono. ?/',,■ <■'■ -" men. they are easily ciai.d :■.!■.■■'< i.' ; oor.iii.id. In winter I.lie Eskimo. . ide in ie/loos or huts; in summer in skin tents. Oil from the seal and other Polar fauna supply their needs in the way of heat, and fuel. Commander Peary tells us what scent*; a paradox after this Ldowitia: description of their virtues that there is no dis'jaiisimj, the fact that they are xery dirty.

In their soeied eiisdoras they believe in a trial maxrhHjv. If two men want in marry ilie sate" e;i;I ihoy .settle the ones; ion hv a Iri;:i <,\ •diV.'i.Ld!), and the hotter man has !iiv way! If a man pTov. s tircrl of liis wife he simply tells her that, there is no room for her ill tho isiloo; she is as ninoh part of the man's property as his doe; or sledge. In the opinion of Peary "it would he worse than useless (o engraft our marriage eustoms. upo?i these native ehildren of Nature. They must he ranked as human people.''