232 TWO DIANAS IN ALASKA 



The man loaded himself up with scraps of mutton, 

 and hid the rest until he could return for it. We had 

 more than a sufficiency as it was, for Cecily returned 

 from her expedition with a fine ram and a small black 

 bear. 



The management of natives in any country is 

 always a difficult affair for women to tackle, but with 

 such low-class half-breeds as we had in camp it 

 became a real annoyance. Generations of looking 

 down on femininity, and familiarity with the ways of 

 some white men had made an impression impossible 

 to erase. The contamination of race mixings had 

 worked the inevitable havoc. We tried always to be 

 very fair in our dealings, never requiring anything 

 done which we would not do ourselves; but fairness 

 our men took for weakness, kindness for fear. It 

 was often a puzzle what line to take. Women are not 

 given the same amount of power, in its wider aspects, 

 as men, and they like to use what they have. If not 

 used with fairness, the softer is often as harmful as 

 the rougher. 



Matters reached a climax one afternoon when Gum- 

 midge entered our tent, without a " by your leave," 

 or "with your leave," and nonchalantly, with all the 

 assurance of a friend of standing, sat himself down 

 on a box of provisions. He commenced to say some- 

 thing, but the words died in his throat as I ordered 

 him out. My fingers had jumped to my belt, and 

 half instinctively I had pulled my shikar pistol out. 

 I frightened my man all right. Familiarities were off 

 henceforward. I thought I should never get over it, 



