2G8 THE HUDSON BAY ESKIMO. 



Many years ago war was wJigert upon tliera by the ])eople whose 

 name is remelnbered with terror even to this day. Most cruel atrocities 

 were perpetrated, and in despair tlicy fled from the land of their fathers, 

 where they had lived as a numerous people, and were pursued by their 

 merciless foes until but a remnant reached what is now known as the 

 "Height of Land." 



Being now driven to a strange land, where they found numerous 

 Eskimo on all sides, only a few years ehipsed before they encroached 

 too greatly upon the land which the Eskimo had always held. Con- 

 tention and struggles arose, culminating in a disposition to fight, and 

 in the course of time desultory warfare, carried on by single combat or 

 organized raids. This lasted for many years, even after the advent of 

 the white men as traders along the coast. Some of the battles were 

 attended with great slaughter on both sides. The Eskimo seldom ven- 

 tured far from the coast on their raids, but fought bravely when at- 

 tacked on their own ground. In most instances they outwitted the 

 Indians by decoying them into ambush, and killing great numbers of 

 them. Within the present century they have been more peaceably 

 disposed toward each other. Since tlie arrival of the white men at 

 various points along the coast these troubles have ceased, and the 

 Indians and Eskimo are now on intimate terms; not that either party 

 have any special regard for the new comers, but they have a mutual 

 fear of each other, and the white man now engages their entire atten- 

 tion. 



In the early struggles the Indian found the Eskimo to be a sturdy 

 opponent, possessed of greater endurance and perseverance than him- 

 self. After the conclusion of the troubles they withdrew to their pres- 

 ent haunts, and now wander indiscriminately over the land, although 

 the Eskimo seldom veutui'es far into the interior unless it be along the 

 valley of some large stream. They eveu camj) alongside of each other, 

 and aged Indian men and women, who have been left behind the parties 

 of young people who are in quest of fur-bearing animals during the 

 winter months, are only too glad to have a camp of jolly Eskimo near 

 at hand. With them they can live as parasites until their hosts are 

 exhausted of supplies, or until they move to another locality to relieve 

 themselves of the importunities of their unbidden guests. 



The Indian is not the physical superior of the Eskimo. It is true 

 they are more expert on snowshoes, because the snowshoes belong to 

 their mode of life. They are used by the Eskimo only when they can be 

 purchased by barter from the Indian. The Eskimo snowshoe is merely 

 a rude imitation of the form used by the neighljoring Indians. In the 

 canoe the Indian is at home; so also is the Eskimo in tlie kaiak. which 

 braves the severest weather and the roughest water, on which the In- 

 dian would only gaze in dread and never venture. 



Ability to endure fatigue is less in the Indian than the Eskimo, who 

 accomplishes by patient persistence what the Indian desires to do in a 



