A JOURNALIST IN THE FAR NORTH.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12445, 30 August 1902, Page 11

A JOURNALIST IN THE FAR NORTH.

(From the Hamburger Nnchriclitcn.—Translated for the Otago Daily Times.) News from Greenland states that Lira Moeller, the Esquimaux, is dead. Ho was the first to introduce civilisation into Greenland, and was the founder of the lint antl only newspaper thero. Lars Moeller was ono of the Esquimaux who served as guide to Professor Nordenskiold. He was bright and intelligent, and through the influents of Nnrdenskiokl and his companions soon became half-Europeaniscd. They taught him to read, and whenever he had a spare minute Moeller was found Bitting in a comer of the hut spelling out a book or a paper. Papers specially interested him, and l)o kept on asking how they got news; how they were printed; how the illustrations could ho copied, and other questions of the same sort. When Nordonskiold, about to return to Sweden, took lcnvc of Mocller the former was greatlj amused on hearing that the Esquimaux wished to ljocpme a journalist. A journalist in Greenland was really too absurd! Because even if Lars Moellor had been ablo to edit a paper, ho was the only Esquimaux in Greenland who could read, and tho distribution of tho paper, however good, would have been limited to one reader, and ho would get a free cony of it.. But Moellor declared that at first ho would only have an illustrated paper, and ho himself would draw tjie pioturos on wood and then print- them off as best lie could. He had even thought out a plan by means of which he would teach his countrymen to read. On his return to Sweden Nordenskiold determined to send a small printing press, with types, paper, printer's ink, and all the other things necessary for tho publication of a paper, to Moeller. Soon after the receipt of this present Moeller published the first edition of his paper, which, although it consisted only' of ■ illustrations, was proudly christened "Reading matter." He distributed his firet paper by taking a journey on snowshoes and in sledges, and leaving a copy in every- hut he came to. In every group of huts Moeller collected tho most intelligent I'/sijuimaux together, and by degrees taught them what he knew. Then these men taught their neighbours, and they in turn taught their neighbours, and so the knowledge gradually spread, till now there is hardly a grown-up Esquimaux v.'lio cannot read a littlo. The public in Denmark was very much interested in the history of Lars Ifoellcr'a paper, and not-long ago a collection was made to send over a new press and the other necessary materials. Then caino the news that the plucky founder of jonr.nali.im witlun the Arctic Oircle was dead. However, another Esquimaux has taken over this Polar newspaper, and is carrying it on in the same spirit as his predecessor,