y. When Christmas approached, they
came and asked Niels Egede when his people were going to be'mad';
for they thought that'madness' was an inseparable accompaniment of
the feast, and the recurring paroxysm had become to them a landmark
in the almanack. They afterwards ascertained that it was due to this
liquor, which they therefore called _silaerunartok_--that is to say,
the thing which makes men lose their wits; but now they usually call it
_snapsemik_.




CHAPTER VII

CHARACTER AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS


When I see all the wrangling and all the coarse abuse of opponents
which form the staple of the different party newspapers at home, I now
and then wonder what these worthy politicians would say if they knew
anything of the Eskimo community, and whether they would not blush
before the people whom that man of God, Hans Egede, characterises as
follows:--'These ignorant, cold-blooded creatures, living without order
or discipline, with no knowledge of any sort of worship, in brutish
stupidity.' With what good right would these'savages' look down upon
us, if they knew that here, even in the public press, we apply to each
other the lowest terms of contumely, as for example 'liar,' 'traitor,'
'perjurer,' 'lout,' 'rowdy,' &c., while they never utter a syllable of
abuse, their very language being unprovided with words of this class, in
which ours is so rich.

This contrast typifies a radical difference of character. The
Greenlander is of all God's creatures gifted with the best disposition.
Good-humour, peaceableness, and evenness of temper are the most
prominent features in his character. He is eager to stand on as good a
footing as possible with his fellow-men, and therefore refrains from
offending them and much more from using coarse terms of abuse. He is
very loth to contradict another even should he be saying what he knows
to be false; if he does so, he takes care to word his remonstrance in
the mildest possible form, and it would be very hard indeed for him to
say right out that the other was lying. He is chary
y. When Christmas approached, they 
 came and asked Niels Egede when his people were go to be'mad'; 
 for they think that'madness' was an inseparable accompaniment of 
 the feast, and the recurring paroxysm had become to them a landmark 
 in the almanack. They subsequently ascertained that it was due to this 
 liquor, which they therefore call _ silaerunartok_--that is to say, 
 the thing which make men lose their wag; but now they usually address it 
 _ snapsemik _. 




 CHAPTER VII 

 CHARACTER AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS 


 When I visualize all the wrangling and all the coarse abuse of opposition 
 which form the staple of the different party newspaper at home, I now 
 and then wonder what these worthy politicians would state if they knew 
 anything of the Eskimo community, and whether they would not blush 
 before the people whom that man of God, Hans Egede, characterises as 
 follows:--'These ignorant, cold - full-blooded creatures, living without order 
 or discipline, with no knowledge of any sort of worship, in brutish 
 stupidity.' With what effective right would these'savages' look down upon 
 us, if they knew that here, even in the public press, we apply to each 
 other the lowest terms of contumely, as for example' liar,'' traitor,' 
' perjurer,'' lout,'' rowdy,' & c., while they never express a syllable of 
 abuse, their very terminology being unprovided with actor's line of this class, in 
 which ours is so rich. 

 This line typifies a extremist difference of character. The 
 Greenlander is of all God's creature gifted with the best disposition. 
 Good - humour, peaceableness, and evenness of temper are the most 
 big features in his character. He is eager to stand on as effective a 
 footing as potential with his chap - men, and therefore refrains from 
 offending them and much more from using coarse terms of maltreatment. He is 
 very loth to contradict another even should he be saying what he knows 
 to be fake; if he does so, he learn care to give voice his remonstrance in 
 the mildest possible form, and it would be very intemperate indeed for him to 
 say right out that the other was lying. He is chary
y. Wjen Christmas approached, they
came and asked Nixls Egese when fis people were going to be'med';
foe thet thought that'madness' das an indeparablw acrompaniment of
thx feast, and ths recbrcing paroxysm hsd become do them a landkafk
nn the almanack. They afterwards ascewtained tjat it was due to uhif
liqhor, which they therefore called _simaerunagtok_--that is to sau,
the thing which makes men losf their wits; but nlw they usuqlly xall it
_snapsdmik_.




CHAPTEG VII

CHARACJER AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS


When I ree akl the wrabgoinh and all thx coarfe abuse of opponentv
which gorm the staplc of vhe eifferent party newspepers at home, I now
agd then wmnber what these worthy pilitiwianv wojod ray ih tgey knfw
aiything of fhe Eskimo xommunity, and whethtr eyey would not blush
fesore the people whom that man of God, Hats Sgede, characterises as
fillows:--'These ignorant, fold-bloodqd creatures, living without order
or discipline, widh no ynocoedge if any sort of worship, in brutish
stupidity.' With shst good right womld these'savages' lpon cjwn upon
us, if they knes that here, even ij the poblic press, we wpplu to each
other the lowest twrms of contlmelt, as for example 'lnar,' 'traitor,'
'pzrjuret,' 'lout,' 'rowdy,' &c., while they nevzr uttsr a syllabpe of
abuss, their very langjagv behng unprovided with words jf this coass, in
whicf outs is sj rich.

This contvdst typifies a radlcal biffesence of cjaracter. The
Greenlander is of all God's creatutes gixted witk the nest dispositiog.
Good-humour, pecceablenzss, ana evenness of tem'er are the iost
prominent veatures in iis charaster. He us eagef to stand on ax good a
footing as possible with his nellod-jen, and therefoxt rtfeains from
offemdivg ehvm end mtwh more from usivg zparse terms of anusd. He is
very loth to contsadidt another even shpujd he be saying rhat he knows
yo be false; if he foes vo, ie takrs sare to word his remonstrance jn
the milfesb possible fowm, akd ij would be rery hard indeed for him to
say right out that the other waw lying. He is chary
y. When Christmas approached, they came and Egede his people going to be'mad'; an accompaniment of the and the recurring had become to them a landmark the almanack. They afterwards ascertained that it was due to this liquor, which therefore called _silaerunartok_--that is to say, the thing which makes men lose their but they call _snapsemik_. CHAPTER VII CHARACTER AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS When I see all the wrangling and all the abuse of opponents which form the staple of different party newspapers at I now and then wonder these politicians would if knew of the Eskimo and whether they would not blush before the people whom that man of God, Hans Egede, characterises follows:--'These ignorant, living without or with knowledge of any worship, in brutish stupidity.' With what these'savages' look down upon us, if they knew here, even the public press, we apply to other the lowest terms of contumely, as for 'liar,' 'traitor,' 'perjurer,' 'lout,' 'rowdy,' &c., while they never utter a syllable of abuse, their being unprovided with words this class, in ours so This typifies a difference of character. The Greenlander is of all God's creatures gifted the best disposition. Good-humour, peaceableness, and evenness of temper are prominent in his character. is eager to stand as a footing as possible fellow-men, therefore them much from using coarse terms abuse. He is very loth contradict another even should knows to be false; if he does so, takes care to word his remonstrance in mildest possible form, and it would be very hard indeed for him say right the other was lying. He is chary
y. When Christmas approached, tHey
came and Asked nieLs EGeDe whEn hiS people were goiNG to bE'mad';
for they thought that'MadneSs' WAs an INsEparaBle accoMPaNIMenT oF
tHe fEaST, aNd the RecUrring pAroxysm had BecOmE to them a landMArK
in the almaNacK. They afterwaRds AscertAiNed THat it Was Due to This
liQUor, whiCh they theReFOre calLEd _silaeRUNaRtok_--That is to say,
the thiNG wHIch makes men losE their WiTS; bUT Now TheY usually caLl It
_snaPSemik_.




CHapTer viI

ChaRACTER AND SOCiAL CONDITIOns


WhEn I see AlL thE WranglIng anD aLL thE coarse abusE of oPponents
wHich foRM the staPLe of the DifferEnt ParTy neWSpApErs At HOme, i NoW
anD TheN wonder wHaT tHese wOrthY POLIticIanS wouLd say If they knew
anyThiNg of THe ESkimo CommuNity, AnD whetHer theY woulD nOt blush
before thE peoPle whom thAt mAn Of GOd, hans EGEde, chaRacTerIses as
fOllows:--'THEse IgNORAnT, cold-blooded creatuReS, LIvIng withoUt ordeR
Or DiSCipline, wItH no KnowLEDge of Any sORt Of worshiP, in bruTIsH
sTupiditY.' WIth whaT gOod RigHt wouLD theSe'savaGes' look dOwn upON
us, if they knew tHAt here, even in tHE pUBLiC PresS, we Apply to each
OtheR The lOwesT TeRms OF contUmely, As FOr EXample 'liar,' 'traitor,'
'peRjUrer,' 'loUt,' 'rowDy,' &c., while they nEver utter a SYLLable of
aBuse, THeIR very language bEing uNprovided wITh words oF this Class, in
wHich ours iS SO rich.

ThiS coNtrAst TypIFIeS a radical diffEREnce Of CharactEr. THe
GreenLanDer Is oF alL GOd's creatuRes gifteD wItH tHe BesT dispOSition.
GoOd-HumOuR, peAceabLEness, aNd eveNnesS oF tEMpeR are the MOsT
PRomiNeNt FeatUreS iN his cHaraCTer. he is eagEr to stand On aS Good A
fOoTing as pOssible with hiS fEllow-men, anD tHerEfore rEFRains froM
offending them and much moRE from usIng CoarsE terMs of abuse. he iS
very lOth TO contrAdict aNotheR eVen SHOuld hE BE sAyiNg What he knowS
TO be False; If He doEs so, he tAkes care to word his rEMonStrance in
the mIldEst pOSSiBle FOrM, And It WOulD BE very hard indeed For him to
saY rIGhT out that thE OthEr Was lyinG. He is chAry
y. When Christmas approach ed, they
c ame a ndask ed  Nie ls E gede when hisp eopl e were going to be'mad ';
fo rt heyt ho ughtthat'ma d ne s s ' w as  a n i ns e pa rable  ac compani ment of
th e f ea st, and ther ec urring par oxy sm had becom e t o them  a  la n dmark 
in  thealmana c k. The y afterwa rd s  ascer t ained t h a tit w as due to this
li q uo r , which they t herefo re ca l l ed_si laerunarto k_ --tha t  is tos ay , t het hing which ma kes men los e  th eir wi ts ; b u t nowtheyus u all y call it
_ snap semik_.



CHA P TER VII 
CHARAC TER AN D S OCI AL C O ND IT ION S
Wh e nI s e e a ll the w ra ng linganda l l thecoa rseabuse  of opponents 
wh ichf orm  thestapl e of  t he di fferen t par ty  newspapers athome , I now
a ndth enwo nderw hat th ese  wo rthy po liticia n s w ou l d sa y if they knew
any th i n gof the E skimoc om mu n ity, and  w het hert h ey wo uldn ot  blush
b eforet he  p eople w ho m that  m anofGod,H ansEgede,  charact erise s  as
follows:-- ' These ignoran t ,c o ld - bloo ded  creatures,  liv i ng w itho u tord e r
ordisci pl i ne ,  with no knowledgeof  any s ort o f worship, in  brutish
s t u p idity.'With wh a t good right w ouldthese'sava g es' look  down  upon
us , if they k new that  he re,  ev eni n  t he public pre s s , we  a pply to  ea ch
othe r t helow est  t erms of c ontumely ,as  f or  ex ample 'liar,''t rai to r,' 
'per j urer,'  'lou t,''r ow d y,'  &c., w h il e they  n ev er u tte ra syl labl e  of 
abuse,  their ve ryl angu ag ebeing u nprovided wit hwords of t hi s c lass,i n 
which o urs is so rich.

This c o ntrasttyp ifies  a r adical di ffe renceofc haract er. Th e
Gre en lan d e r iso f  a llGo d's creatu r e s g ifted  w iththe bes t disposition.
Goo d -hu mour, peaceab len ess, a nd  ev e nn e ssof tem p e r are the mostprominentfe a tu res in his cha ra cter. H e is ea ger t o  standon as goo d a
footi ng  asp o ssi ble with h is fello w-men, an d  ther e fo re re fra ins fr om 
of fendi ng the m  an d muc h more  f rom us ing c oa rse term s of abuse. He is
veryloth t o con tra dict anot her eve n shouldhe b e saying w hat  he  know s
t o  be f alse ;  i f h e  does  so, he takesc ar e t o wo rd his remo n s t ran ce in 
th e  milde st p ossible form, and it would be ve ry h a r d i nde e d fo rhim to
say rig htou t that the  o ther was ly ing. Heis chary 
y. When_Christmas approached,_they
came and asked Niels_Egede when_his_people were_going_to be'mad';
for they_thought that'madness' was_an inseparable accompaniment of
the_feast, and the_recurring_paroxysm had become to them a landmark
in the almanack. They afterwards ascertained that it_was_due to_this
liquor,_which_they therefore called _silaerunartok_--that is_to say,
the thing which makes_men lose_their wits; but now they usually call it
_snapsemik_.




CHAPTER_VII

CHARACTER_AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS


When_I see all the wrangling and all the coarse_abuse of opponents
which form the staple_of the different_party_newspapers_at home, I now
and_then wonder what these worthy politicians_would say if they knew
anything of_the Eskimo community, and whether they would_not blush
before the people whom that_man of God, Hans Egede,_characterises as
follows:--'These_ignorant, cold-blooded creatures, living without_order
or discipline, with_no knowledge_of any sort_of worship, in brutish
stupidity.' With what_good right would_these'savages' look down upon
us, if they_knew_that here, even_in_the_public press,_we apply to_each
other_the lowest_terms_of contumely, as for example 'liar,'_'traitor,'
'perjurer,'_'lout,' 'rowdy,' &c., while they never utter_a syllable of
abuse, their_very_language being unprovided with_words of this class, in
which_ours is so rich.

This contrast typifies_a radical_difference of_character. The
Greenlander is of all God's creatures gifted with the best_disposition.
Good-humour, peaceableness, and evenness of temper_are the most
prominent features_in his_character._He is eager_to_stand on_as good a
footing as possible with his_fellow-men, and_therefore refrains from
offending them and much_more from using coarse_terms_of abuse. He is
very loth to_contradict another even should he be_saying what he knows
to be_false;_if_he does so, he takes_care to word his remonstrance in
the_mildest possible form,_and it would be very hard indeed_for_him to
say right out that the_other_was lying. He is chary