KELSON] HEADMEN SELF CONSTITUTED 



been among their own people lie would not have interfered, but added: 

 &quot; We were only a few among the Knskokwim men. and if our companion 

 had killed one of their men they would have killed all of us, and it 

 was better that he should die.&quot; 



It was not uncommon among the Eskimo, particularly about the 

 shores of Bering strait and northward, for some man of great courage 

 and superior ability to gather about him a certain following and then 

 rule the people through fear; such men usually confirmed their power 

 by killing any one who opposed them. In order to keep their follow 

 ers in a friendly mood, they made particular effort to supply them 

 with an abundance of food in times of scarcity, or to give them presents 

 of clothing at festivals; they also try to secure the good will of white 

 men whenever they think it to their interest to do so. 



At Point Hope we saw such a chief, who had killed four men and 

 had the entire village terrorized. The people were overawed by his 

 courage and cunning, and hated him so much that a number of them 

 went quietly to the captain of the Cor win and begged him to carry the 

 man away. 



During our stay at Point Hope this fellow was never seen without a 

 ride in his hand, and the people said he always carried it. During the 

 trading on the Corwin, whenever one of the villagers was offered a fair 

 price for one of his articles and began to haggle for a greater one, this 

 man would quietly take the goods offered and give them to the other, 

 who would then accept them without another word. I tried to procure 

 his photograph, but he became very nervous and could not be made to 

 stand quiet, until he was told that it would be very bad for him if he 

 did not. As soon as I had taken his photograph he insisted on having 

 me stand in the same position that he had taken while being photo 

 graphed. Then he looked under the cloth covering the camera, and 

 when he saw my image on the ground glass he appeared to be greatly 

 pleased, seeming to think that he had thus counteracted any ill effect 

 that might follow in his own case. 



While stopping at a village near the head of Norton sound I was 

 shown a man who was badly crippled, and my informant gave me the 

 history of the manner in which he received his injury. He went out 

 with three companions hunting reindeer in the mountains, back of the 

 head of Norton sound. At night they made camp, and placing a 

 spruce log under a light shelter, all lay down, side by side, using the 

 log for a pillow. A man who entertained enmity against one of the 

 party had followed them from their own village ; in the night, while they 

 were asleep, he crept up and fired his rifle into the head of the man 

 upon one side in such a manner that it was in line with the heads of 

 the others, and the ball passed through the heads of three of the men, 

 killing them instantly. The other one sprang to his feet, but before he 

 could collect his wits he was struck down by the clubbed gun in the 

 hands of the murderer, and beaten until he appeared to be dead. The 



