The Eskimo Inhabitants. 237 



whatever; but his contact with Europeans has developed a disposition 

 of worship and a spirit of religion vague and uncertain in its outline. 



It is an error to state that the Eskimos have no chiefs, or 

 " Uttericks," as they call them. They do not dwell in large settle- 

 ments, but in every district the number of families dwelling there 

 submit themselves in many things to the ruling voice and advice of 

 their chief man, and generally contribute to his support. They are, 

 however, but little governed, and never go to war with each other, 

 and seldom quarrel. However, they are not without courage. On the 

 Coppermine and Mackenzie Rivers, where they sometimes come into 

 collision with the Indians, they fight fiercely, and are greatly dreaded. 



Again, I must correct most writers on the customs of these people 

 in saying that polygamy is rare among them. All their head men 

 maintain two or three wives, and it is a sign of importance that a 

 man supports more than one wife. Moreover, they often separate, 

 the man finding another wife, and the woman another husband. 



Their courtship and marriage is very simple. Parents generally 

 agree as to the marriage of their children while the latter are yet 

 very young, and as soon as they grow up to realization, they find 

 that their matches are made for them. They have only to do a certain 

 amount of courting, and at a very early age — say ten or eleven for the 

 girl, and twelve or thirteen for the boy — they dwell together as man 

 and wife. There is neither marriage nor burial ceremony. Nothing. 

 All is simplicity, and very unromantic. • Sometimes the matches made 

 between children by their parents will not hold good. The children 

 thus betrothed may grow up to dislike each other, and in that case 

 there is no marriage. If, however, the girl dislikes the boy, and the 

 boy is fond of the girl, she will have to submit and become his wife. 



The whole Eskimo population of the world is put down at forty 

 thousand. It is probably less. There are probably not more than 

 ten thousand between Cape Chidley on the north Atlantic and 

 Alaska ; certainly not over fifteen thousand. 



In the narrative of the movements of the Hudson's Bay Expedi- 

 tion I have made many observations on the Hudson Strait Eskimos, 

 which, not being repeated here, ought to be read in connection with 

 this brief sketch. 



