54 THE POINT BAKKOW KSKIMO. 



They have, however, adopted very few civilized habits. They have 

 contracted a taste for civilized food, especially hard bread and flour, 

 but this they are unable to obtain for 10 months of the year, and they 

 arc; thus obliged to adhere to their former habits. In fact, except in 

 regard to the use of firearms and mechanics tools, they struck me as 

 essentially a conservative people. 



Petroff 1 makes the assertion that in late years their movements have 

 been guided chiefly by those of the whalers. As far as we could observe 

 they have not changed the course or time of their journeys since Dr. 

 Simpson s time, except that they have given up the autumn whaling, 

 possibly on account of the presence of the ships at that season. Of 

 course, men who are rich in whalebone now stay to trade with the ships, 

 while those who have plenty of oil go east. They are not absolutely 

 dependent on the ships for anything except ammunition, and even dur 

 ing the short time the ships are with them they hardly neglect their 

 own pursuits. 



The one unmitigated evil of their intercourse with the whites has 

 been the introduction of spirits. Apart from the direct injury which 

 liquor does to their health, their passionate fondness for it leads them 

 to barter away valuable articles which should have served to procure 

 ammunition or other things of permanent use. It is to be hoped, how 

 ever, that the liquor traffic is decreasing. The vigilance of the revenue 

 cutter prevents regular whisky traders from reaching the Arctic Ocean, 

 and public opinion among the whaling captains seems to be growing in 

 the right direction. 



Another serious evil, which it would be almost impossible to check, 

 is the unlimited intercourse of the sailors with the Eskimo women. 

 The whites can hardly be said to have introduced laxity of sexual 

 morals, but they have encouraged a natural savage tendency, and have 

 taught them prostitution for gain, which has brought about great 

 excesses, fortunately confined to a short season. This may have some 

 thing to do with the want of fertility among the women. 



Our two years of friendly relations with these people were greatly to 

 their advantage. Not only were our house and our doings a constant 

 source of amusement to them, but they learned to respect and trust 

 the whites. Without becoming dependent on us or receiving any favors 

 without some adequate return either in work or goods, they were able 

 to obtain tobacco, hard bread, and many other things of use to them, all 

 through the year. Our presence prevented their procuring more than 

 trifling quantities of spirits, and though the supply of breech-loading 

 ammunition was pretty well cut off , they could get plenty of powder and 

 shot for their muz/It; loaders. The abundance of civilized food was 

 undoubtedly good for them, and our surgeon was able to give them a 

 great deal of help in sickness. 



1 n all their intercourse with the whites they have learned very little 



Report, etc., p. 125. 



