350 WONDERS OF ANTARCTIC WORLD 



He rides up and down the sides of mountainous waves like a sled upon a 

 hill. He laughs at the efforts of the storm to swamp him. He comes within 

 sight of his prey; the seal ducks; the Eskimo, knowing his custom, paddles 

 swiftly in the direction of the dive. When the seal comes up for air he is within 

 easy striking distance. The bone harpoon goes home with a thud; and the 

 hunter turns his boat for shore. He has made his kill. 



In the summer time tents take the place of houses. As soon as the sun be- 

 gins to appear, sometimes in April, the Eskimo comes out of his hibernation, 

 gets ready his "woman boat," and his camping outfit, and goes roaming. The 

 "woman boat" is a large rowboat, capable of carrying a score or more people, 

 and has its name from the fact that it is rowed by the women. In such a boat 

 the Eskimo sets forth and rows until a favored camping ground is found. Then 

 the whole party disembarks, tents are set up, and the camp remains so long as 

 the hunting is good. When that is gone, into the boats again and on to 

 another hunting ground. 



Of the kindness and catholic hospitality of the Eskimo there is but one 

 verdict — they are the kindest and most hospitable people in the world. Even 

 wrecked explorers whose coming means only that they will consume a certain 

 amount of the common store of food, are hailed with the greatest delight, the 

 best is set forth before them, and they are invited to make themselves at home 

 for as long as they please. In one instance an explorer relates that a murderer 

 was taken in, fed, housed, and cared for through a hard winter by the family, 

 of his victim ! 



"Do some people in your land starve and shiver while others eat much and 

 are warmly clad?" was one of the questions that the shocked Eskimos put to 

 an explorer when he expressed surprise at their charity. "Why, then, do you 

 call yourself civilized ?" 



■ It was a puzzling question. The explorer was forced to admit that "some 

 did." 



"Then why do you ask us to accept your civilization ?" demanded the Eski- 

 mos. "Here that never happens." 



So the "poor, frozen native of the north" does not yearn for the civilization 

 that threatens him. He is satisfied as he is. He eats his fish, kills the seal, 

 sings his peculiar songs, and asks only one thing from the civilized world — that 

 he be left alone. And that is the one thing which probably will not be granted 

 him. 



