r2 On Some Popular Errors in Regard to the Eskimos. [Jan. 
well known as these snow-houses should be passed by unmen- 
tioned by the authors of the “ Précis d’ Anthropologie.” 
In spite of all authorities, however, the belief appears to be 
very wide-spread that. the Eskimo passes the long cold winter 
night—the darkness of which, by the way, is very much exag- 
gerated in regard to most of the region inhabited by the Eskimos, 
considering that the extreme northern point of the American 
continent extends but little beyond latitude 71°—in a sort of 
hibernation in underground dens, living in enforced idleness and 
supporting life by stores of meat laid up in less inclement 
seasons. - 
As Bancroft puts it,“ About the middle of October commences 
the long night of winter . . . and humanity huddles in subterra- 
nean dens; . . . in March the dozing Eskimo rubs his eyes and 
crawls forth” (“ Native Races,” i. pp. 43, 44); and again, “In 
midwinter, while the land is enveloped in darkness, the Eskimo 
-dozes torpidly in his den” (p. 55). 
But in reality the experience of all explorers shows that the 
Eskimo does nothing of the kind. If he did, he would soon 
perish from starvation, for improvidence is one of his greatest 
characteristics, and very little is done in the way of storing up 
supplies for the winter. To be sure, they do not live the same 
out-door life as in the continuous daylight of summer, but their 
winter-life is as far removed as poses from idleness or hiber- 
nation, 
A sketch of the winter avocations of the Eskimos of Point 
Barrow, who came under my personal observation for two win- 
ters, will serve to illustrate the truth of this statement. Point 
Barrow lies in latitude 71° 16’ north, and consequently there are 
seventy-two days—from the middle of November to the latter 
part of January—when the sun does not appear above the horizon, 
though there is sufficient twilight from ten o’clock in the morn- 
ing to three in the afternoon to enable one to work out-doors. 
The sea is frozen over and the land covered with snow, but 
the seals have made their breathing-holes in the new ice, and are 
to be caught with the spear, while nets may be set surrounding 
cracks where they resort for air. Every fine day, and even some 
stormy ones, large numbers of men are scouring the ice in search 
: S : = of seals and bears, while others are busy at home with carpenter- 
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