Some are funny little
pencilled scraps folded and oddly directed, e.g. "Kitturamut-Lucasib,
Okak." That means "To Keturah (the wife) of Lucas or Luke, at Okak."
Our Eskimoes seem to have a talent for phonetic spelling;
"ilianuramut" is evidently "To Eleanor," and "Amaliamut-kuniliusip,
Okak," is meant for "Amalia (the wife) of Cornelius at Okak." Some are
very respectable epistles, and I doubt not the Christian tone of most
would please us could we read the Eskimo language, with its strange
long words. Here is a good-sized letter folded and directed in a bold
clear hand, "Sosanemut-Andoneb, Hibron" (To Susannah, the wife of
Antony at Hebron). It is not sealed, so, as we shall scarcely
understand a word of its contents, we will venture to open it and
glance at them. It is a well-written letter, covering three pages of
blue foolscap paper, so it must be conveying a good deal of news to
Antony and Susannah. The writer names himself at the commencement,
"Boas-Kedoralo." "Lo" is Eskimo for "and," and "Kedora" is another
phonetic version of Keturah. He closes his long epistle with "Amen."
The Eskimoes also write the names of their missionaries with
considerable variations as to spelling.
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