GILBERTSON: ESKIMO CULTURE 11 



want, while he had abundance.&quot; In a sharp north wind and over a 

 difficult country, he covered the 8 miles (Danish). It was toward evening 

 when he came to the lodge of the Danish expedition. He was invited 

 to remain over night. &quot;He did not have time to stay, but continued his 

 way into the falling darkness.&quot; (30: 174.) 



Folk-lore also gives frequent expression to this feeling. The 

 beginning of a Greenland tale, &quot;Several brothers had an only 

 sister, whom they loved dearly and were very loth to part with 

 (53:404), is typical. In another, 



A young wife, who has given birth to her first-born, on being asked 

 why she looked so sad, said, &quot;It is because of our baby boy; I would 

 like him so much to go and see his mother s brothers. I cannot forget 

 those dear ones, and that is why I have grown so silent.&quot; When her 

 brothers were informed of her arrival at the old home, &quot;each of them 

 cried, Oh, my dear sister! ye have not cared for her as I have! ye have 

 not missed her so much neither; ye have not longed so much for her as I 

 have done/ And each of them wanted to be the first to greet ber, and 

 to take hold of her. . . . The brothers stayed at home all day, 

 and for joy at the meeting could do naught but sit down together and 

 regard each other lovingly.&quot; (53: 209, 211.) 



Folk-lore also tells of brothers who defend their sister against 

 her husband. (53: 431.) 



An interesting custom is reported from Bering Strait. In 

 warfare, &quot;if a man had relatives in the opposing party, and for 

 this reason did not wish to take part in the battle, he would 

 blacken his face with charcoal and remain a non-combatant, both 

 sides respecting his neutrality.&quot; (45:329.) 



For further data on kinship see under &quot;Children,&quot; &quot;Mar 

 riage/ &quot;Punishment.&quot; 



The second kind of community comprises the housemates. In 

 this case more than one family live in the same house. For such 

 a plan to be carried out, the agreement of all the families con 

 cerned is required. As a general custom, this form of community 

 seems to be confined to Greenland, where it has been described 

 by numerous writers. (16. 1 : 165, 170 ; 53 : 26 ; 52 : 25 ; 54 : 142 ; 

 30:85; 43:79.) The most highly developed form of this com 

 munity-house is found in East Greenland, where there is only 

 one house at each settlement. There is thus no difference between 

 housemates and place-fellows. The number of inmates in one 

 house described by Holm ran as high as 58. The Greenland 

 common house consists of only one room, marked off for the 



