IN THE FROZEN NORTHS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19261, 27 August 1924, Page 5

IN THE FROZEN NORTHS.

AMONG THE ESKIMOS. WORK IN ALASKAN WILDS. INSPECTOR’S LONG EXILE. Bound in black leather, and of slender size, one of the rarest volumes m in* world was exhibited in London recently by Mr Eben Evans ,on his return to England after 17 years’ . as inspector of schools in Alaska. This is an edition of a year’s issue of the Eskimo, a monthly magazine written for andirawl by those lonely trappers who, of all civilised races, have made the greatest educational progress in the last years.Mr Evans, who, although an American citizen, has gone to Britain to visit, h>* native Wales, edited this magazine, r He says that the greatest number of Eskimo* were able to read it and to enjoy it. ‘y To look through the pages of TH« Eskimo, says the Daily Chronicle, is, I .to get an insight into the lives of a lovably and interesting people. This little! magazine has its “gossip” pages, and : one.i.pr these “social” paragraphs concerns Moilte Dexter and her 2000 reindeer. MoUie;,}* the wealthiest Eskimo woman in ,tn* North-West, and white travellers haA«a often been *wclcoined at her road-honse a* Chink. „ “In the half-month from November T 3 to Hecember 1,” it is stated, “MolUh c»£ tured six red fox, one white fox,-foIMJ lynx, nine weasels, and two mink.’ “mushes” out to her traps as regularly as the hardiest man hunter, and sh* knows the habits of animals as well a* any. Her “parkies” (tunics of remdeer skin decorled with wolf fur) are fafflOUßj and her white, vanity bag, made of weasel skins, trimmed with beads Are widely sought for. And she is an excel? lent cook. : ,

ONLY ONE COMPLETE EDITION. ' “Copies of this little _ magazine „ are in museums in the United States,... China, Japan, and Honolulu,” Mr Evans stated. ‘But this is the only complete original edition in existence, and I have been offered large sums for it.’’ During his long period of service in Alaska Mr Evans covered every year 800 miles of coast line, travelling from 3000 to 4000 1 miles by dog teams. ,■-> “I retired because I felt I had copip to a time of life when my strength and vitality were no longer equal to the work,”" Mr Evans said. ‘‘My predecesr sor died from exposure. His predecessor ended his days in a madhouse. Last year my friend, the Roman Catholic priest was frozen to death. Only a man of great powers of physical endurance can hope f to leave Alaska alive. I have been shut up, in a house because storms made it impossible to leave. I have known men to venture only three yards from their • tents to be caught up in a great storm, not to return.

“So severe is the weather that'’yds’ can eat only what you cook when cm the trail, for if you took bread with you it would freeze so rapidly that you would need an axe to cut it. I lived on canned' foods, walrus meat, and, when near a town, on reindeer. In the winter months' there is no communication at all with the outside world, except through passing natives. I have known whaling ships to be caught up for two or three years," unable to move.” . , > v

There is no written Eskimo language, Mr Evans has made a study of the spoken word and was deeply interested <fco find that very many words are of porely Welsh' origin. Scientists have tried to discover the origin of the Eskimo people,' and some investigators believe that, judging by the implements used, the Eskimos came originally from the North of France.. Mr Evans’s studies have led him to; the opinion. ; “PAPA” TO 600 ORPHANS. • - Before the advent of the white map to Alaska the only disease known , was smallpox. Now the Eskimo suffers from, every civilised disease except cancer. “During one year,” Mr Evans went on, “there were 1000 deaths from influenza, and ! bad the charge of 600 orphans. They, name to regard me as an universal “jJapA,,'’ and an amusing and ombarraasing 'sequej occurred some time after in the busy. State of Seaatle. I was walking along 1 the town one day when I saw ah, fcxpensively dressed woman with two little, girls in Eskimo furs, who were crying because they did not wish to be taken, in a street car. A crowd had collected*, and the woman in charge of them obvi- 1 ously did not know what to do. ; ‘Stid ll denly the two little girls saw mfey and gave one shout. ‘Papa,’ they bothy crifedl' and flung their arms round me. T to explain to the crowd that I was uof>, the father of the children, and, finding that they were not happy with the wppjao who had adopted them, I had them taken; away and sent to a Government orphans age, w'here they are doing well.” v Mr Evans held many appointments' Alaska. Not only was he inspector'Af' schools, but he had charge of SOOJWO’ reindeer, was a justice of the peapaf game warden., fur ularden.and special officer for the suppression of the liqpks. traffic, as well as amateur carpenter, blacksmith, and doctor. , ; MEMORIES OF AMUNDSEN. ‘ Among his most interesting memories are those of Captain Amundsen, the South, Pole discoverer, who proposes next month.; to fly over the North Pole. “I do' notthink it is generally known that Captain Amundsen has always done the cooking when on his expeditions,” said Mr EvarisT “So fine a leader is he that he snl>' ordinates himself to the interests of hia crew, and believing it to be all important, that they should be well fed, he himself does the cooking. Captain Amundson told me this one day while we were breakfasting together in Alaska.” Mr Evans has some pnotographs of Captain Amundsen’s dogs. Attacked on on one occasion by Polar bears it was the explorer’s Eskimo dogs, savage, faithful and intelligent, .who saved his life by beating off the bears. “I think my happiest experience in returning to Europe,” Mr Evans concluded, “is to find, after. 22 years’ absence, that I am able still to speak Welsh fluently.’’