184 VIKINGS OF TO-DAY 



who already had seven wives, stole his son-in-law's 

 wife also that is his own daughter. The younger 

 man bided his time, and then shot the older one off 

 his guard. Some twenty years ago a number came 

 south to the most northern Moravian station. One 

 had cut on his gun-stock many notches. On being 

 asked what these meant, he explained they indi- 

 cated so many men craftily shot. On being told it 

 was wrong, he promised not to do it again. Poly- 

 gamy is now done away with, and it is only in 

 their fishing-tents that different families sleep to- 

 gether. In some tents I visited the only separations 

 were marks made on the ground. 



Yet they have learnt to repent of wrong-doing, 

 and all their outbreaks have ended in asking for 

 forgiveness. They confess even murder to the mis- 

 sionaries. I have met four who have done so. 

 In all spiritual matters they implicitly accept the 

 Brethren's teaching; nor do they ever question the 

 authority of the Bible; e.g., one man had a very 

 refractory boy, who was always annoying his 

 teacher, and wilfully disturbing the whole school. 

 His father refused to punish him, for he said he 

 thought that must be wrong for a Christian. Nor 

 would he alter his decision till Solomon's maxim 

 on that point was shown him in black and white. 

 He then at once adopted Solomon's view of the 

 matter, and "appealed to his son's feelings" with 

 a piece of walrus hide. 



Other enemies, besides civilization, have helped to 



