AND ESKIMOS OP UNGAVA. 103 



the wife and husband may separate at a moment's notice, and no regret follows in most 

 instances. The husband sometimes brings her back and forces her to remain, which she 

 does until a better chance of escape occurs. The children are treated well, and have toys 

 made for their amusement. Eespect for elders and for the authority of the parents is never 

 disregarded. The alfection between parent and child is often shewn in a degree worthy 

 of imitation. The child is taught by gentle means to do right ; and, as it has no occasion to 

 do wrong, it is seldom reproved and never struck by the father or mother. Affection is 

 never demonstrated between husband and wife in the presence of others, nor may brother 

 and sister be alfectionate enough to cause remark. iSolicitude and care for the toddling 

 young are not considered as shewing too strong a love. They never kiss each other ; 

 and away from white men, they know nothing of that act. Kissing would bring the 

 contempt of the community rapon two of the opposite sex catight in the act. 



The dead of the Tahagmyut are disposed among the ledges and on the summits of the 

 barren hills of their lands. When one dies in such a locality as permits his body to be 

 covered with stones, it is done. 



The scarcity of fuel compels these people to resort to the employment of the stone 

 lamp for supplying the heat aud light of their snow-huts in winter and their sealskin tents 

 in summer. They fashion oblong kettles from steatite, and by placing heated stones within, 

 they cause the liquid food to become warm, and in that condition it is devoured, or else 

 eaten raw — not so much through choice as necessity, for the stick of drift-wood carried to 

 their barren shores must supply the hunter with shaft for his spear, paddle for his kaiak, 

 runner for his sled, and frame for his umiak, nor must the poles for his tent be forgotten. 

 It will be seen that necessity has compelled him to eat his food in a condition that careless 

 observers have mistaken for choice ; and custom has begotten an indifference with regard 

 to cooked food, so that at times, when fire is at hand, food is not boiled or roasted. The 

 flesh of all the larger creatures is eaten — that of the raven, owl, moose, ermine and wolve- 

 rine excepted. Reindeer, seals, walrus, narwhal, white whale, and some of the smaller 

 cetaceans, form their principal food. They are not fishermen, although they obtain trout, 

 and a few other kinds of fish by spearing them. 



The men engage in hunting, erecting dwellings, and trading. The women attend to 

 household duties, dress the skins intended for clothing, and do the sewing of all kinds. 

 They are treated indifferently by their masters, but have recourse to separation, if their 

 life is made unbearable by bad treatment. The number of children is rarely over five, 

 and many are contented with but one or two. They seldom take a wife from one of their 

 neighboring kindred people. 



The situation of this people precludes them from frequent contact with Fort G-eorge, 

 the trading station to the south ; or with Fort Chimo to the east. A party annually 

 comes to the latter place in May. Of these, rarely more than half a dozen individuals, 

 accompanied by two dog sleds and teams, with two or three women, constitute the number, 

 M'^ho act as middlemen, or purchasers of wares, for such of their friends as may desire 

 tobacco, ammunition, beads, knives and such other absolutely necessary articles ; garments 

 and food, such as the white man uses, are, with possibly the exception of a shirt, uude- 

 sired. The journey is made but once a year, and occupies the time from the settling of the 

 snow in November until the following May. The trip is made by easy stages ; and hunt- 

 ing as they proceed, to add furs to their stock, constimes the greater portion of their 



