420 THE POINT BARROW ESKIMO. 



chilly tho.se of the wealthier class, preserve a very tolerable degree of 

 conjugal fidelity and certainly do not prostitute themselves to the sail 

 ors. 1 believe that prostitution tor gain is unknown among themselves, 

 hut it is carried to a most shameless extent^ with the sailors of the 

 whaling fleet by many of the women, and is even considered a laudable 

 thing by the husbands and fathers, who are perfectly willing to receive 

 the price of their wives or daughters frailty, especially if it takes 

 the form of liquor. Dr. Simpson 1 says: It is said by themselves that 

 the women are very continent before marriage, as well as faithful after 

 ward to their husbands; and this seems to a certain extent true.&quot; But 

 he goes on to add: &quot;In their conduct toward strangers the elderly 

 women frequently exhibit a shameless want of modesty, and the men 

 an equally shameless indifference, except for the reward of their part 

 ner s frailty.&quot; It seems to me that he must have been deceived by the 

 natives concerning the first statement, since the immorality of these 

 people among themselves, as we witnessed it, seeins too purely animal 

 and natural to be of recent growth or the result of foreign intlueuce. 

 Moreover, a similar state of affairs has been observed among Eskimo 

 elsewhere, notably at Iglulik at the time of Parry s visit.- 



SOCIAL LIFK AND CUSTOMS. 



Pemonal habits, cleanliness, etc.. Though the idea of cleanliness 

 among these people differs considerably from our ideas, they are as a 

 rule far from being as filthy as they appear at first sight. Considering 

 the difficulty of obtaining water, even for purposes of drinking, iu the 

 winter season, the iglu, unless dirty work, like the dressing of skins, 

 etc.; is going on, is kept remarkably clean. The floor and walls are 

 scrupulously scraped and all dirt is immediately wiped up. They are 

 particularly careful not to bring in any snow or dirt on their feet, and 

 the snow and hoar frost is carefully brushed off from the outer garment, 

 which is often removed before entering the room and left in the passage. 

 They are also careful not to spit on the floor or in the passage, but use 

 for this purpose the large urine tub. This is practically the only offen 

 sive object in the house, as it is freely used by both sexes in the presence 

 of the rest. This is done, however, with less exposure and immodesty 

 than one would suppose/ 



Op. cit., p. 252. 



2 Second Voyage, p. 529. 



3 Compare! Xordcnskiold s account of the comparative cleanliness of the Cliukrli dwellings at Pith- 

 kaj : On the other hand it may he stated that in order not to make a stay in the confined tent chamher 

 too uncomfortable certain rules are strictly observed. Thus, for instance, it is not permitted in the 

 interior of the tent to spit on the floor, but this must be done into a vessel which, in case of necessity, 

 is used as a night utensil. In every outer tent there lies a specially curved reindeer horn, with which 

 snow is removed from the clothes ; the outer pegk is usually put off before one goes into the inner tent, 

 and the shoes are carefully freed from snow. The carpet of walrus skins which covers the floor of the 

 inner tent is accordingly dry and clean. Even the outer tent is swept clean and free from loose snow, 

 and the snow is daily shoveled away from the tent doors with a spade of whalebone. Every article, 

 both iu the outer and inner tent, is laid in its proper place, and so on.&quot; (Vega, vol.2, p. KM.) 



