Appendix 



stolen something, but it is always a trifle ; the whole is 

 so childish. The attachment of the parents to their children 

 is touching, though it is never expressed in words or pettings. 

 The Aleoute is with difficulty moved to make a promise, 

 but once he has made it he will keep it whatever may happen. 

 (An Aleoute made VeniaminofF a gift of dried fish, but it 

 was forgotten on the beach in the hurry of the departure. 

 He took it home. The next occasion to send it to the 

 missionary was in January ; and in November and 

 December there was a great scarcity of food in the 

 Aleoute encampment. But the fish was never touched 

 by the starving people, and in January it was sent to 

 its destination.) 



Home Life of the Eskimo 



By Villialm Stefannson. F rom Harper s Mo/2th/)\ October, 

 1908. 



Stefansson lived for thirteen months in the household 

 of a Chief, Ovaynak, on the IVlackcnzie River, and knew 

 his subject well. He says : — 



" With their absolute equality of the sexes and perfect 

 freedom of separation, a permanent union of uncongenial 

 persons is well-nigh inconceivable. But if a couple find 

 each other congenial enough to remain married a year or 

 two, divorce becomes exceedingly improbable, and is much 

 rarer among the middle-aged than among us. People of 

 the age of twenty-five and over are usually very fond of 

 each other, and the family — when once it becomes settled 

 — appears to be on a higher level of aflFection and mutual 

 consideration than is common among us. In an Eskimo 

 home I have never heard an unpleasant word between a 



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