Our Little Eskimo Cousin Read online

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  Our Little Eskimo Cousin

  The Little Cousin Series

  _ILLUSTRATED_

  BY MARY HAZELTON WADE

  =Our Little Japanese Cousin= =Our Little Brown Cousin= =Our Little Indian Cousin= =Our Little Russian Cousin= =Our Little African Cousin= =Our Little Cuban Cousin= =Our Little Hawaiian Cousin= =Our Little Eskimo Cousin= =Our Little Philippine Cousin= =Our Little Porto Rican Cousin= =Our Little Swiss Cousin= =Our Little Norwegian Cousin= =Our Little Siamese Cousin= =Our Little Italian Cousin= =Our Little Irish Cousin= =Our Little Turkish Cousin= =Our Little German Cousin= =Our Little Jewish Cousin=

  BY ISAAC TAYLOR HEADLAND

  =Our Little Chinese Cousin=

  BY ELIZABETH ROBERTS MACDONALD

  =Our Little Canadian Cousin=

  Each volume illustrated with six full-page plates in tint, from drawings by L. J. Bridgman.

  Cloth, 12mo, with decorative cover, per volume, 60 cents.

  L. C. PAGE & COMPANY New England Building, Boston, Mass.

  ETU]

  Our Little Eskimo Cousin

  By Mary Hazelton Wade

  _Illustrated by_ L. J. Bridgman

 

  Boston L. C. Page & Company _MDCCCCII_

  _Copyright, 1902_ By L. C. PAGE & COMPANY (INCORPORATED)

  _All rights reserved_

  Published, June 1902

  Colonial Press Electrotyped and Printed by C. H. Simonds & Co. Boston, Mass., U. S. A.

  Preface

  IT is a very wonderful thing, when we stop to think of it, that nomatter where we are placed in this great round world of ours, it seemsjust right to us.

  Far away in the frozen north, where the lovely aurora borealis dancesin the sky, where the long sunless winter night stretches halfwayacross the year, live a people who cannot keep themselves alive withoutworking very hard. Yet they are happy and fun-loving. They _make_pleasures for themselves. They are patient and joyous in the midst ofdarkness and storm. They do not think of complaining at their hard lot,or that they do not live where Nature is kinder and more generous.

  We call them Eskimos. They belong to another race than ours,--adifferent branch of the great human family. They are yellow and we arewhite, to be sure. But we know that, no matter how far away any race ofpeople lives, and no matter how different these people may be from usin looks and habits, they and we belong to the same great family. Itincludes every race and every colour, for we are the children of oneFather.

  What a pleasure it is, therefore, to travel from place to place andsee more of the life of others! But suppose we cannot journey with ourbodies; we need not stay at home on that account. Let us use the wingsof the mind, and without trouble or expense visit the hot lands and thecold, the yellow children and the red. Let us know them and learn whatthey can teach us.

  Contents

  CHAPTER PAGE I. BABY DAYS 9 II. MOTHER AND CHILD 18 III. PLAY-DAYS 28 IV. DOG TEAM AND SLEDGE 38 V. KAYAK AND HARPOON 49 VI. THE SEAL HUNT 63 VII. FEAST AND FUN 74 VIII. HARD TIMES 80 IX. AN ESKIMO CHRISTMAS 91 X. SUMMER TRAVELS 97

  List of Illustrations

  PAGE ETU _Frontispiece_ "HE WHO HITS THE GREATEST NUMBER WINS THE GAME" 31 "ETU HAD BECOME QUITE SKILFUL" 41 "WHIZZ! SOUNDS THE HARPOON AS IT SPEEDS FROM ETU'S SHOULDER" 67 "ETU STOPPED MOVING AND LAY QUITE STILL" 89 "THE BLOCKS OF SNOW WERE HANDED TO THEM" 98

  Our Little Eskimo Cousin

  CHAPTER I.

  BABY DAYS.

  A PAIR of very bright black eyes peered out from the mother's hood thatwinter morning. The thermometer, if there had been one, would haveshown the temperature to be seventy degrees below the freezing point.

  Yet baby Etu did not seem to care. He was nestled so warmly in theheavy furs, and felt so safe on his mother's broad back, that helaughed and crowed in pure delight.

  It was his first ride since he was born, and there was so much to lookat! At least he thought so, though great sheets of snow stretchedoutward to the frozen ocean, and covered the land in every direction.The twinkling stars gave the only light for Etu to see by, yet it wasdaytime. It was that part of the twenty-four hours when the baby'speople did their work; and that must be called day in Etu's farnorthern country, even though darkness covers all the land.

  For Etu lives in the frozen zone, on the shores of northern Alaska,and during the long winter of eight months the sun shows his face verylittle above the horizon.

  Here and there the snow looked as if it had been raised into lowmounds. Near these mounds holes could be seen in the ground, andpathways dug out between them. There were no trees, no fences, no roads.

  Where was the village, and where was the baby's home? Those holesmarked the entrances to the winter houses built by Etu's father andhis neighbours. The mounds were the coverings of the houses. Great pitshad been dug in the earth, and lined with driftwood which had floatedon to the shore. Jaws of whales made the framework of the roofs, thesebeing covered with sods cut out of the marshy plains in summer. MotherNature did the rest by protecting all with a warm close blanket of snow.

  At first it makes one shudder to think of living in such homes duringthe long Arctic winter. But the Eskimos are satisfied, and feel socomfortable that they remove a great part of their clothing while theyare indoors. The houses are made so snug that the sharpest winds cannotenter, and they cost nothing but the labour of making them.

  Etu's mother allowed him to stay out only a few minutes this firsttime. She soon turned toward home, and coming to her own doorwaycrawled down through a long slanting tunnel in the ground, eight orten feet long. When she reached the end, she was obliged to stoop evenlower, for now she must pass upwards through another passage. Lifting atrap-door, she stepped at once into the middle of her own home.

  Why was there such a queer entrance? Because the wind must be kept outat all hazards. After all, it seemed easy and natural enough to thiswoman who had never known other and pleasanter hallways.

  How close it seemed after the fresh cold air outdoors! There was astrong odour of smoking oil. It was noisy, too, as other women andchildren were moving around inside, for the house was shared in commonby several families who were friendly to each other, and enjoyed livingtogether.

  Etu's mother quickly took off her outer coat of sealskin, and, liftingher baby out of his warm nest, placed him on a platform whichstretched along one side of the room. What a round, smiling dumplinghe was! His face was broad and flat, while his little nose looked asthough it had been punched inwards. His bright eyes were quite narrow.

  He wore a curious skin cap drawn tightly over the top of his head. Hemust keep this on night and day for a year, at least. It would make hisforehead taper upward, and that is a mark of beauty among his people.As soon as he was born, the top of his head was pressed between hisnurse's hands, and the cap fitted on at once so that his head mightgrow in the proper shape. After that operation he was taken outdoors,and rolled in the snow. I suppose that was to get him used to the coldclimate of his birthplace. Don't you?

  Baby Etu's skin was much whiter than his mother's,--very nearly as
white, in fact, as your own little brother's. Why has he changed somuch since he has grown to be a big boy? Listen to the strange reason.

  When our Eskimo cousin was born, there was a small dark spot on hisback. Day by day it grew larger; the change came very slowly, so slowlyit could scarcely be noticed. But at last the darker colour had spreadover the boy's whole body, till his skin was nearly like that of hisfather and mother.

  In course of time it would grow darker still, because he did notwash himself. Please don't be shocked. It is _so_ hard to get waterin that frozen land. Snow must first be melted, and to do this heatis required. Heating requires the burning of oil, and oil is veryprecious. It is scarcely any wonder, therefore, that Etu has not beentaught to be cleanly in all ways.

  The smoky air of the home during the long winter months also madethe boy's skin grow darker. Sometimes during his babyhood his motherwould wash him as a mother cat washes her kittens, but that was allhe has ever known of the delights of a bath. The mother-love made thatpleasant, perhaps, but we cannot envy him.

  It was quite surprising to an Arctic explorer some years ago, when hediscovered the difference soap and warm water would make in an Eskimo'sappearance.

  "Why, you are almost a white man," he exclaimed, "your friends willthink you have been changed into another being by some magical spell."And he laughed heartily when he thought of the only magic being soapand water.

  Etu tumbled about on the sealskins which covered the platform, watchinghis mother while she trimmed the wick of the lamp. What an odd-lookinglamp it was! It was made of a crescent-shaped stone hollowed out. Thinkof the labour of making it! It must have taken days, and even weeks,before the cavity was hollowed enough to hold the oil. But Etu'speople are such patient workers they do not worry over the time theyspend.

  Moss was built up around the sides of the lamp; it served for the wickwhich spluttered away as the oil burned and warmed the room. A lump ofseal fat, or blubber as it is called, hung over the lamp. As it meltedslowly in the heat, it dripped down into the cavity and furnished asteady supply of oil.

  There were two other lamps burning in Etu's home, for you must rememberthere was a very large family living here. And these queer lamps notonly gave light and warmth to all these people, but the cooking mustalso be done over them.

  Etu watched the light with blinking eyes for a few moments, and thenfell fast asleep. Only think of it, he was nearly naked! There was nocovering on his tiny body except a short skirt of fur,--his arms andlegs were quite bare, yet his loving mother did not hurry to cover himover. He must get used to cold while he was still small, so that whenhe grew older he could bear exposure better.

  CHAPTER II.

  MOTHER AND CHILD.

  THE mother was proud that this first baby was a boy. She liked to dreamof what a great hunter he would become. In a few years he would do hispart to keep the wolf from the door, in more senses than one. He wouldbring home the seal, the walrus, now growing so scarce, the grim whitebear, and make many a feast for his people. Oh, no, girls could neverdo such things as these! She was a happy woman, indeed.

  This Eskimo mother had a pleasant, sunny face, even though the chin wastattooed with three long lines from the mouth downwards. She firmlybelieved that it would be looked upon as a sign of goodness, when shereached the next world. It might help in bringing her to heaven.

  The work was done by her own hands and must have been quite painful.The sinew of a reindeer furnished the thread which she blackened withsoot. Fastening it in her bone needle, she drew it under and throughthe skin till the lines were plainly marked. They would stay that wayas long as she lived.

  She bustled about at her work without fuss or hurry. More than oncethe children playing in the room got in her way, but she did not scoldnor even look cross. Now and then a hungry-looking dog poked his headup through the doorway, only to be chased out of sight again whendiscovered. As she worked she joined in the laughter and talk of thewomen.

  Hark! the sound of many feet could be heard, and the women and childrenstopped their chatter to welcome the men of the household, who hadbeen away on a bear hunt for many hours.

  "What luck? What luck?" all said at once, but there was no story ofbrave fighting to tell this night; the long march over the icy plainshad met with no reward. But there was no danger of starving at present,for great dishes of smoking seal soup stood ready for the hunters.

  In a few minutes all the household were squatting on the floor aroundthe bowls. They ate the delicious supper to their hearts' content; andhow they did eat! It seemed as though their stomachs must be made ofelastic, for otherwise how were they able to stow away such immensequantities of the rich, fatty food?

  With Etu's people it is either a feast or a famine all the time. Theyhave no regular time to eat, no such thing as breakfast, dinner, andsupper. If there is a good supply of food on hand, they will keep oneating hour after hour in a way to fill other people with wonder. Butif there is nothing in the larder they are able to go several dayswithout eating; yet they seem to keep well and strong.

  All were satisfied at last, and baby Etu waked up in time to be heldand petted for a while before bedtime.

  His mother did not have any dishes to wash, but before she could settleherself for the night she had to arrange a net over the seal-oil lamp,and spread her husband's wet clothing in it to dry. She must rouseherself during the night to watch and turn it from time to time, forthat is a woman's work, she has been taught.

  But where were all these people going to stow themselves for sleeping?There was no sign of a bed in the whole house. That question was easilysettled, for a portion of the platform was set aside for each family.They arranged their fur rugs upon it, and crept in side by side.Then, taking off all their clothing, they buried themselves under thewarm covers. First in order lay the father of a family, next came themother, and close to her the youngest child was always nestled.

  Baby Etu slept, warm and safe, that night and many afterward. Not onceduring the long winter did he cry from colic.

  As soon as he was able to sit up alone his mother gave him lessonsin what he needed most,--strength of body, and ease in moving everymuscle. She would sit on the floor or platform and stretch out herlegs in front of her. Then she would brace Etu against her feet, and,holding his hands, would bend his arms in every possible direction. Nowthey must be stretched upwards, now to the right, the left, behind him,and so on. This would make him agile in hunting.

  As soon as the baby could walk he began to have other exercises for hislegs, for he must make a good runner and dancer, also.

  As soon as Etu began to take more notice of those around him, hereceived many presents of toys. There were animals carved out ofivory,--tiny whales and walruses, baby seals and reindeer. He could notbreak them easily. They were fine things to press against his achinggums when the first teeth pushed themselves into sight. If he had beena girl he would have had an ivory doll, with a little dress of mouseskin, but, of course, a boy would not care for such a plaything. It wasnot to be thought of.

  Soon the time came for his first suit of clothes, and, oh, how manydays of patient work his mamma spent on those little garments!

  In the first place, there must be some long stockings of reindeer skin,so made that the hairy side lay next his body. After that came socksof the skin taken from eider-ducks. And outside of all he must wearstout boots of sealskin with soles of thick whale hide. He must drawthese up to his hips over his two pairs of deerskin trousers, just ashis father and mother themselves did. His jacket was made of reindeerskin, with a warm hood fastened to it to draw over his head whileoutdoors in the searching winds. It had no buttons either before orbehind, but fitted quite loosely.

  Some one asks: "How did he get into this garment, since there were noopenings except for the neck and sleeves?" He slipped it down over hishead, as American boys put on their jerseys. The skin had been tannedand stretched and softened so beautifully by his mother that it wasquite easy to do this.

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p; The baby's jacket was shaped round exactly like his father's, while hismother's had a long pointed tail both in front and behind. Besidesthis difference, her own jacket is always trimmed with a fringe ofcoloured beads bought of the traders. This fringe reaches around theneck, and also around both of the tails. It is very beautiful, herneighbours all declare.

  It seems quite wonderful to us that Etu's boots could be perfectlywater-tight, although they were home-made. This Eskimo mother is such afine seamstress with her coarse needle and thread, that a drop of watercannot enter the skin boots after her work is done.

  When his first suit was entirely finished, and Etu was dressed, he wasready for the coldest weather. As soon as he could walk easily, hehad no more need to ride in the warm hood on his mother's back. Therewere times before this, however, when he cried with the cold even inthat snug place, and his mother had been obliged to stop in her walk,loosen her jacket, and slip the baby inside of all her clothing next toher own warm body. After that the crying would stop, and Etu would coosoftly as the two went on their way.

  How many things had to be done before the baby's suit was finished! Inthe first place, his papa must kill the animals which furnished thewarm skins. But when that was done, _his_ work was over. It was hiswife's turn now. She removed the skins from the dead reindeer and seal,and stretched them out to dry, with the hairy side toward the earth.

  After a few days they were ready for her to begin the hardest part ofthe task. They must be scraped with a sharp knife until every atom offlesh should be removed, as well as the inner tough skin. Now they wereflexible enough for all the clothing except the stockings, and thesemust be very soft indeed for the tender baby feet. A piece of the skinof a baby deer was chosen by the careful mother, who next proceeded tochew it, inch by inch. Her teeth were beautifully white and sharp, butthe work was done so carefully that no hole, nor even mark, could beseen in the skin when it was finished.