WINTER QUARTERS 



129 



The Eskimos, as we learned later on, give each of their children 

 a pup immediately after its birth, and the pup belongs to the 

 child as long as it lives. Although the family was hard up for 

 food, the little girl was allowed to choose whatever she wanted 

 as payment for her dog, but it almost broke her heart when I 

 took away her playmate. She hugged it, kissed it, and was 

 weeping all the way down to the 

 ship. And even all the nice 

 things which she got in exchange 

 were hardly enough to console 

 her for the loss. 



Several children had followed 

 us down, and I gave them some 

 candy. Instead of rushing at 

 it, as I had expected, they only 

 stood looking at it, although 

 they very well knew that it was 

 good to eat and that it was 

 meant for them. Not one 

 stirred. I told one of them, 

 mentioning his name, to take 

 some, and he was quick enough 

 to comply ; but I had to call 

 each of the little ones by their 



names before they touched the much-loved sweets. I could 

 not help thinking what white children would have done under 

 similar circumstances, and that these little savages were better 

 behaved than their white brothers and sisters. Another time I 

 saw one little fellow with a piece of pie allow a dozen other 

 little ones to have a mouthful each. Although the children 

 rule the house as long as they are small, they become very 

 gentle when they get older. Once, when I saw a child, old 

 enough to know better, being very naughty, and the parents 

 only laughing, I asked them why they did not punish him. 

 They looked at me in surprise. Punish a child ! They hardly 

 understood what I meant. Why, the child did not know 

 what it was doing ; by-and-by, when it became older, it 

 would be better and not do such things. And I must say 

 that I have never seen grown-up people more kind and 

 considerate towards their elders. So, after all, their way of 



A.I. K 



KANAKA. 



