GILBERTSON: ESKIMO CULTURE 53 



without obtaining their consent.&quot; (43 : 109 ; cf. 16. 1 : 166 ; 30.) 

 But, 



beyond the confines of such places as are already inhabited, every one 

 was at liberty to put up his house and go hunting and fishing whenever 

 he chose.&quot; (53: 27.) 



Nansen says that perhaps the rudiments of the idea of private 

 property in land is found in what he believes to be a fact, that 



tc where dams have been built in a salmon river to gather the fish together, 

 it is not regarded as the right thing if strangers come and interfere with 

 the dams or fish with nets in the dammed-up waters.&quot; (43: 110.) 



He says that this is also mentioned by Dalager. The contrary 

 is given by Rink, 



&quot;not even where others had first established a fishing place, by making 

 weirs across a river, would any objections be made to other parties using 

 these or even injuring them.&quot; (53: 27; for a similar rule about fox-traps 

 see 16. 1: 167; 53: 29.) 



This is in substantial agreement with Crantz, who concludes; 



( Should a stranger disturb the prior occupant, he [the latter] will 

 rather go away and starve than engage in a quarrel.&quot; (16. 1: 167.) 



Nelson s observations indicate that in Alaska the idea of private 

 property in natural resources is pretty well developed, one of 

 the many respects in which the culture of that region differs 

 from that of the other parts of the Eskimo area. The right to 

 use certain places for setting seal and salmon nets 



&quot;is regarded as personal property, and it is handed down from father 

 to son. If anyone else puts a net in one of these places the original 

 owner is permitted to take it out and put down his own. These nets are 

 sometimes rented or given out on shares, when the man who allows an 

 other to use his place is entitled to half the catch.&quot; (45: 307.) 



There do not seem to be any definite boundaries between the 

 hunting grounds of various tribes. According to Amundsen, 

 it very frequently happens that two tribes meet while out 

 hunting. &quot;Such an encounter far from leading to strife and 

 bloodshed, is the signal for a round of festivities.&quot; (1. 2:45.) 



The Eskimo have a great many rules governing the disposition 

 of the booty of the chase. (6:116, 210; 5:582; 42:275, 427; 

 16. 1:167; 53:27, 29, 136; 30:76; 69:433; 33:223; 43:113.) 

 Among these are the following, the particular one applying in 

 a given case depending upon particular circumstances, including 

 the kind of animal involved ; they also differ in detail in various 



