12
"THE
CHINA MAIL.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 91, 1925,
NEW YEAR'S DAY
Day Withoutá Sunrise' How the Strange Folk of Arctic Alaska Live nd Amise Themselves the Dark-The Snow Tut The Wonderful
Lamp.
TY RENE BACHEI
Now Year's Day among the Bikin of Alaska is, strictly spraking, not a xay wall. For the sun does not rise,
„There is a geleendly morojitud, medion that is those Aretits labikurles the year is divided into six month of continuou daglige and six months of uninter rupted night," That is in abwart main- Lak But there is one month, 111 mid- winder, when the sun deas, not myke its appenance at all, remaining below the Horiz
* New Year's Bey rungi aut fur from. a the maide of that month, Thus it is a day of daritness, so far as direct solar illuminating is concerned. Yet, it is nut really duck, legsuse there is mabushing whond vinuli do not abecule the day, and nearly all the time there és a brillian display of the wonderful Kurora
Not until very rergntly has it candi t har known that the aurem berculis ja an electrien phenomenon produced by the sui. As we see it, sâ mre ocensions, its bright streamurs seem to rise frem the leg of the parthy" Got"as viewed in far Arctic regions, they are seen too sturl forlifty indes or more up in the air, al the Lucasusness of the spectacle they present is indescribable,
The mile of the month of the sun's abstory in these latitudes is December 2e winter solstice. Thereafter, the sular orb begins to upfieng above the horizon, nett day higher and higher. unit at the time of the summer sofatige edune 21) it is seen at an angle of abuut "forty-Bye degrees." AL na tine does it Enjnn grenier slevation than that; the Eskimos never seg the sun tverheuck
Warne And Custy Houses. During the month of solar darkness: the Exkings desist almost entirely from outdoor occupations. The New Year's weather is of course intensely cold, but in their snow huts they are urmar confortable. Indeed, thone strange houses are like ovens, overheated by the whole-oil lamp that furuishes both warmth and illumination.
the winter The snow house, which dwelling of the Eskima, represents one of the most remarkable of architetural inventions, for, in its construction, the problem is solved of erecting a dome without the use of scaffolding.
To furnish suitable building materia), the show-bank that serves US S CURITY Must have been formed by a single storm, as to be solid und homo- geneous. It must yield blocks of fine grain, et soft enough to be easily eat with saw or snow-knife.
Two men do the work, one calling while the other builds. The blocks are cut 3 or 4 feet long. 2 feet high, and 6 to 8 inches thick. Instead of laying then in parallel courses like bricks, they are sa placed as to forte a spiral, inclined inward to make the stroèture donie-shaped, the spiral culminatink in the middle of the top, where two or three triangular pieces are put in th close the hole,
In order to reach high enough, the builter makes a snow bench insile, on
which he stands while finishing the
of the hut. upper.p
Finally, the joints Brende tight by pressing snow- mortar them. the object of this being to event warni air, inside the house.from escaping.
Window An Ice Black.
When finished, the house is enfor twelve feet high and perhaps ifteen feet in diameter, and, has the appear. its flat site. A sort of entrance-hall ance of a hemisphere of snow set on
is added outside, with a, passuge big enough to crawl through; and, for a window, u. slab of clear, fresh water-ice is set into the wall. Or the window may be a square hole covered with seals? intestines sewn together, which, being translucent. admit daylight..
The dwelling is really an inhabited oven, ingeniously insulated. To prevent its interior warmth from escaping. It is lined with the skins that cover the Eskimo summier tent; or, for the same purpose, quantities of loose snow may be heaped over it. Even the family bed is a bench of snow, with a long pole for an edge, a. mattress of shrubs, and a blanket of deer-skins,
Thousands of Alaskan Eskimos will pend the coming New Year's Day in huts of this kind, each family, grown- ups and children, gathered around the household stove, which is the soap-stone, lamp-a shallow vessel having the form of the lesser segment of a circle. The
-Мен сол
YO PHE OLO
wiek, of dry moss rubbed with a little Tat. I laid along the edge on the straight side, and when kindle it affords a brilliant and beautiful light without perceptible smoke or offensive smiell.
The lamp is made to supply itself with oil by suspending a long, thin slice of whale-blubber or seal-blubber near the Aame, the heat of which causes the oil to drip into the vessel until all of it is extracle. High above the lamp a net or framework for the reception of any wet things, usually laden with boots and mittens. Directly over the lamp is the cooking-pot.
Lamp The Domestic Centre. The lamp is the most important article of furniture in the house-se important, indeed, that the whole life of an Eskimo household may be said to revolve about St. It is the special and particular property of the woman. Though fun sometimes happens) two or three families inhabit one hut, each maternal head must have her own.Jam Among those people, to apoak of “a woman without a lamp" is to express the idea of utmost wretchedness. When a woman dien, her lump is placed in her" grave.
The Eskimos, drink extraordinary quantities of water-a fluid not always easy to obtain in a region where during half the year the normal condition of water in that of a rock. In the house,
in winter, there is always a lump of Clean snow on a mick close to the lanp, with, a tub to catch the water that drips, from it. When tramping about, they are constantly eating show by hundfuls; and, while on the march, the women barry small canteens of sealskin, which they all with snow and keep inside of their jackets, in order that the heat of their bodies may melt the snow and provide a supply of fresh water."
They have great fondness for tobarro, which they buy from traders, and the habit of chewing the weed is well-nigh universal among them. Men, women and even unweaned children keep a quid constantly in the mouth, "They do not spit out the julee, but swallow it, practice which, strange to say, does hot seem to produce any unpleasant effects.
To make their
tobacco go farther, for smoking in pipes, they cut it up very fine and mis it with twice the quantity of fine- chopped willow twigs.
Wood Fetched By The Sun.
In those fur northern latitudes there are no trees; but there is usually plenty of driftwood thrown up on the 'son- bouches, mostly in the form of water- worn logs brought down to the ocean by rivers, Wrecks of ships help out the supply of driftwood more or less. The willows that grow near the coast are nothing but creeping vines, sometimes used for fuel. Catkins serve no tinder, i
LESKIMO LAND
TOPHISTO AMO.
On hunting expeditions in the winter time, the Eskimo protect their eyes wearing against snow-blindness by goggles, which are, of wood with narrow horizontal sfits, admitting only a little light, yet giving sufficient range of vision.
To demiray wolves, they sometimes employ a most, ingenious and rather diabolical contrivance,which is simply
stick of whalebone a foot long and half an inch wide, sharpened at both ends. It is folded into the shape of the letter: Z, wrapped in blubber, and frozen solid. Then it is thrown out upon the anow. A wolf finds it and swallows it whole; the heat of his body thaws the blubber, and the whalebone, straighten ing out, pierces the walls of hir stomach.
At the season of the New Year, during the month of darkness, the Eskimo father of a family amuses him- self and his children by carving all sorte of hals out of wood or walrus-ivory. Those folks are born artists, and many of them are highly skilled in carving, Their kiddies have a sort of Noah's Ark of their own, comprising a collection of all the mammals and birds of seu and land belonging to that part of the world.
Anime Of The Ark. Not a erenture fiative to those regions escapes imitation at the hands of the Eskimo sculptor. The polar bear, the reindeer, the Arctic fox, the sea-otter. the rabbit, the weasel, the porpaist, and
CHANGING A NATION'S
BRIDGES
The New Type of Construction Replaces the Old Bridges of Horse-and-Wagon Days Notable Examples.
[By NORMAN C. McLOUD.)...
POLE FERRY: ALATINAS /FE AIVER IS ALSAL
||
OF WALES
SCHOOL GEOGRAPH
especially, the dog--so useful for draw ing sledges, though commonly obliged to get its own living by, catching sh in the shallows are favourite subjects Right-whales, speřm of treatment.
white whales,
whates, nu ihoso ferocious carnivores the killer whates, are counterfeited in miniature with utmost fidelity to nature.
truet, uninhabited, on the banks of the Kobuk River-a pileo of territory fifteen miles aquare, with plenty of trees on it and abounding in game and fah. It was set aside as a reservatian by order of the President, and thither the people of Doering migrated.
Radio Blation In The Arctic. Built under the direction of govern- Of late, the United States governmentment school-teachers, the village is has undertaken vory successfully to
handsomely laid out in streets, with promote the happiness and welfare of neat single-family houses and gardens.. the Alaskan Eskimos in a new way-It has an electric lighting plant, run by that is to say, by removing some of their ancient villages to more desirable regions... There was one such village at Deering, on the bleak Arctic sea-coust. wherein, for look of timber, the inhabit- Ants were compelled to dwell in the semi-underground hovels of their ancestors. Food was becoming increas ingly scarce, owing to the killing off of the walrus and other gamo animals by the whiten. Uncle Sam picked out a
minutes, and the "scente roule soon became the favourite. This shift dia- regarded the circumstance that the aborter road had been equipped with wider roadway and larger bridges. The motorists could not be induced to go back to the Hain Highway; and the county found itself forced to reconstruct the road and bridges on the longer route to meet the unexpected travel with which it had been favoured,
an Eskimo, engineer, and most of the dwellings, are wired for electricity. There is also a community sawmill. But most remarkable of all is a wire- leas station.
Thanks to this marvel of modern improvement, the inhabitants of the village, which in called Noorvik, receive on New Year's Day, in the darkness of the Arctic night, the very latest news from all parts of the world.
drawn buggy are reminders of the past, but neither of them has become extinct. On the remote roads the motorist of to-day finds a fair sprinkling of streams spanned by structures of this character. It is fortunate for the bridge, as well as for the driver, that the strain of heavy motor cars is not often applied to the bridge which formerly served its pur- posa so effectively.
Covered Bridges Of The Past, “ The covered bridge is also passing into history. Until a few years ago this wooden tunnel-shaped structure was a common sight throughout the eastern section of the United States especially in New England, Tradition has insisted that the covering was intended as a means of placing a limit on the londa. to be carried but engineers state, that the roof and sides were really meant. for protection from the weather-that the added Investment gave the bridge greater durability that more than offset the increased cost. On an important highway crossing the Kentucky River, a double-barrelled covered bridge is sill in service after life of nearly three-quarters of a century, Built in 1868 this structure is in a good state of repair and scams ripe for several years yet to come.
The old-fashioned ferry has by ra means disappeared. Stream crossings by this method are still encountered by Wandering motorists who leave the main-travelled thoroughfares. A pole ferry on the Coosa River in Alabama, is the subject of one of the illustrations. To 'most of us there is striking con- tradiction in the sight of a touring car thus transported. The picture is strongly suggestive of timber out of Joint, of a clash between the 'old' and' the new with the time-honoured relic coming out the victor, It is certain, however, that the motorist who scorned this ferry would find it necessary to make a considerable detour in order to gain the opposite side of the river.
Changes in bridge building have pro... of truffle. The bridge which will prøve gressed hand-in-hand with the develop adequate to the community, of to-day ment of the modern highway.
will be sadly lacking In the event of
Federsi Ald Bridged: The time has gone when a bridge material development of the surround-
Bridge building is one of the vital 'could be built by throwing some ing territory. For 'this reason, the
factors in the development of the pre- stringura Baross: a 'stream and covering | bridge engineer, or somebody working
sent all-embracing system of Federal- them with a flooring of boards. This with him, must be a student, of cora»
aid highways fostered and participated may have sarved for, the days of the munity growth and development. Fore-
in by the United States Government horse and wagon, but it is no longer in" cast of the fatúra is an essential ele
through its Bureau of Public Roads. Vogue,
High-pressure traffic with ment in the satisfactory planning of vehicle brought about its tragedies to
Notable examples are the bridges trucks and motore calla, for bridge con- Ibridges.
the tireless engine and air-cushioned had proved its own undoing. In pase- struction of an entirely new type.
More than one instange has been re- the taxpayers. "Highways and bridges tires of this modern vehicle a few miles ing between the two cities, motor travel The development of highway bridges crossing the Missouri River near Bl The new bridge' is a fine; plece of cozeled in which the forecast was lack- "wers' built without realization of the of 'additional travel_constitute d, factor showed an obstinate determmation to has been fall of interest. Even now it marck, North Dakota, and at Mobridge, South Dakota., Similar,érárfjölda are engineering, Ints its design goes the ing. This was especially apt to happen! strain to be created within a few years of little moment I know of a bridge
possible for the tourists to make an the new structures spanning the Bantee use the longer route. Little' study was recently erected on a road along which needed to explain this shift of trafle skill and training of men to whom then the early days of the automobile. As automobiles Increased the new con
interesting study in contrasts. On the work in a highly specialised profession. Twenty years ago fow people could traction, so proudy discussed a few there was little traffic:. - The Freat bulk The authorities soon found that the main-travelled thoroughfares he will and Bavannah Rivers, between South Carolina and, Georgia,-forming an ima Nothing is left to chance, entraine;-belleve that the motor vehicle would before, proved itself totally of the travel had always chosen a route explanation lay in the Jure of attractive find the new type of bridge in all its
"portant-link" for travel between Charles- stress and kindred, factors are care quickly crowd and monopolize the Able to bear the added burdens. The which formed a shorter shannel of com- scenic setting. The short route was Impressive strength of steel girdar or ton and Savannah. Califortiis' has a fully calculated before the work thoroughfares of the entire United cuiry: la fall of ease of this kind munication between two elites in one fat and uninteresting. To for these behind and make his way into the valuable bridge across the Salinas River!
The longer road reinforced concrete. If he will lava undertaken. The experts "can tell' In States. When the gruntity had Isas cases in which counties were compelled of the central states.” As a sócondary" || was "picturesque : and advance just what londe a given strub-han a million cars l operation their work de recently completed and replac-quire a bridge no larger than was called
to quito the expanse of tearing:oût the highway the longer rond seemed to re- With the erection of the new bridge isolation of the byways he will still find between Los Angeles and Ean Francisco. Others cross the Appalachicola ở in ture will carry and what length of sar presence was of minor importanoeing it with highways and stream cross-
and the completion of the hard-sur- the survivors of the older construction Flerkia, the South Candilan River, in vice it may be expected to offer. To-day, with three cars to every fvings to meet the new conditions.
for by the local traffic of the immediate faced, higheray, motorists, task to the "--the relics of the two-horse wagon of | Oklahoma, the Umpqua in Oregon, the Of similar importance is the new way families, the problem is one of auzta
neighbourhood. For this reason a small, ibag trail na naturally an 11-16 had been, even the ox-cast
Alabama" in Alabama and the Raritan Even foresight is not always prodúc: tractpre was planned and constructed. the only channel of cea munication. One of the typical bridges of the old
in New Jersey. · All-of these repinde tive, of satisfactory results. The auto- Pada Bridge Created Traße.
The few extra miles, monat nothing country highway is shown. In this
ferries or obsolete bridges, and are of The requirements vary with the density This rapid multiplication of the motor mobile is a thing of vast flexibility...Te Within twelve months the new bridge atore than the use of joy law, exten,.,pleture both the bridge, and the horse-
more than local significance..
of determining the needs of a proposed of significance. bridge in point of carrying capacity.
Contly Lemons..