Page 136: The Innuit, as they call themselves, belong to the same
family as the northern and western Eskimo. I have frequently
used the term Eskimo in referring to them, but they are in many
respects very different people. * * * It should be thoroughly and
definitely understood that they are not Indians nor have they any
known relation, physically * * * to the Indian tribes of North
America. Their grammar, appearance, habits, and even their anatomy,
especially in the form of the skull, separate them widely from the
Indian race. On the other hand, it is almost equally questionable
whether they are even distinctly [distantly?] related to the
Chukchees and other probably Mongolian races, of the eastern part
of Siberia.
The Innuit of Norton Sound and the vicinity are of three tribes,
each of which, while migrating at certain seasons, has its own
peculiar territory. The peninsula between Kotzebue and Norton
Sounds is inhabited by the Kaviaks or Kaviagemut Innuit. The neck
of this peninsula is occupied by the Mahlemut Innuit. The shore
of Norton Sound south of Cape Denbigh to Pastolik is the country
of the Unaleets or Unaligmut Innuit. The habits of these tribes
are essentially similar. They are in every respect superior to any
tribe of Indians with which I am acquainted.
Their complexion I have described as brunet. The effect of the
sun and wind, especially in summer, is to darken their hue, and
from observing those who lived in the fort, I am inclined to think
that a regular course of bathing would do much toward whitening
them. They are sometimes very tall; I have often seen both men and
women nearly 6 feet in height and have known several instances
where men were taller. Their average height equals that of most
civilized races. Their strength is often very great. I have seen a
Mahlemut take a 100-pound sack of flour under each arm and another
in his teeth and walk with them from the storehouse to the boat, a
distance of some 20 rods, without inconvenience.
Page 140: The women * * * are often of pleasing appearance,
sometimes quite pretty. They preserve their beauty much longer
than Indian women. Their clear complexion and high color, with
their good humor, make them agreeable companions, and they are
often very intelligent. A noticeable feature is their teeth. These
are always sound and white, but are almost cylindrical, and in
old people are worn down even with the gums, producing a singular
appearance. The eyes are not oblique as in the Mongolian races, but
are small, black, and almost even with the face. The nose is flat
and disproportionately small. Many of the Innuit have heavy beards
and mustaches, while some pull out the former.
Page 17: I * * * made the acquaintance of a fine-looking young
Mahlemut who * * * introduced me to his wife and child, the latter
about 2 years old. The former was not particularly ugly or pretty.
* * * The husband was a fine-looking, athletic fellow, standing
about 5 feet 5 inches, with a clear brunet complexion, fine color,
dark eyes, and finely arched eyebrows. The flat nose, common to
all the Eskimo tribes, was not very strongly marked in him, and a
pleasant smile, displaying two rows of very white teeth, conquered
any objection I might have felt to his large mouth. The baby looked
like any other baby. * * *
Page 376: It has been frequently remarked that the Tuski and
Innuit tribes have a Mongolian cast of countenance. This, upon an
actual comparison, will be found to be much less than is usually
supposed. The real points of resemblance are principally in the
complexion, which is somewhat similar, and in the eyes. But the
eyes of the Innuit are not oblique, as in the Chinese. They have
an apparent obliquity, which is due to the peculiar form of the
zygomatic arch, but the eyes themselves are perfectly horizontal.
The prominent characteristics of the Orarian[75] skull are the
strongly developed coronary ridge, the obliquity of the zygoma, and
its greater capacity compared with the Indian cranium. The former
is essentially pyramidal, while the latter more nearly approaches a
cubic shape.
The mean capacity (in cubic centimeters) of three Tuski skulls
from Plover Bay, according to Doctor Wyman, was 1,505; that of
20 crania of northern Eskimo, according to Doctor Davis, was
1,475, and that of 4 Innuit crania of Norton Sound was 1,320; thus
showing a wide variation. The mean capacity of 20 West American
Indian crania was only 1,284.06. The mean height of all the Orarian
skulls above referred to was 136.55 millimeters, against a breadth
of 134.47 millimeters, while the height of the Indian skulls was
120.14 millimeters, against a breadth of 100.025 millimeters. The
zygomatic diameter of the Orarian crania was 134.92 millimeters,
while that of 12 Indian skulls was 134.65 millimeters. The
Orarian skulls were most dolichocephalic, and the Indian most
brachycephalic. The latter averaged 378.71 cubic centimeters less
capacity than the former. The average height of the Orarians,
except among the stunted tribes of the extreme north, will average
as great as that of their Indian neighbors. The strength and
activity of the former far exceed that of any northern Indians with
whom I am acquainted.
Page 401: The Kaniagmuts are of middle stature and a complexion
more reddish than that of the Aleutians or more northern Innuit.
They are stoutly built, with large broad faces, and their hair is
coarse, black, and straight.
Page 407: The Magemuts * * * are tall, finely formed, and have very
fair complexions. Blue eyes are not unknown among them, but their
hair is black and their beards are very light.
The Ekogmuts. * * * A noticeable feature in many of them is the
extreme hairiness of their persons. Many have very strong black
beards and hairy bodies.
Page 410: The Point Barrow tribe are said by Richardson to be
called Nuwungmëun. * * * These northern Innuit are very few in
number. * * * Simpson mentions that their thumbs appeared to be
disproportionately short. The same may be true of the Norton Sound
Innuit; at all events, no white man can wear one of their mittens
comfortably until the thumb is lengthened.
Doctor Otis, of the United States Army Medical Museum, says that
the skulls found in the northern mounds have the same peculiarities
which distinguish all Orarian crania, and that both are instantly
distinguishable from any Indian skulls.