ESKIMOS 181 



partly civilized one. Not quite as truthful as they are honest, 

 they still compare favourably in that respect with the white 

 men. When the source of a lie is traced it is found to be due 

 to a mistaken politeness, the native intending to please by 

 answering in a manner which he thinks will be agreeable to the 

 questioner. Another cause is due to the etiquette of the people, 

 whereby a man always belittles his success in hunting or other 

 actions. When these reasons are unknown to the casual stranger 

 among these people he classes them as liars, when the case is not 

 so, for an Eskimo seldom, or never, makes a false statement to 

 shield himself from the consequences of ill-doing. Of course 

 there are black sheep in every flock, and the Eskimos have their 

 share of them. 



Judged by the standards of sexual morals of civilization, the 

 Eskimo is a minus quantity ; but who is to say what is right in 

 this respect among a people situated as they are. 



In temperament they are phlegmatic and slow to anger, being , 

 good-natured rather than otherwise, but like all savages, liable 

 to ungovernable bursts of rage when roused. As a rule they 

 are proud and independent, with a greater sense of gratitude 

 for favours received than their Indian neighbours. 



They are not cleanly in their habits, and this is not surpris- 

 ing considering that for the greater part of the year they must 

 melt all the water they use. The length of time required for 

 the decay of animal matter in the cool northern regions renders 

 personal or culinary cleanliness a matter of sentiment and not 

 of health, and they do not pay great attention to sentiment. 



Being accustomed from childhood to the strong odours of seal 

 blubber and rancid meat, they are not at all delicate in their 

 senses of taste and smell, and it occasionally happens that their 

 liking for tainted meat ends disastrously, especially when a 

 rotten porpoise furnishes the food. The writer knows of several 

 deaths due to poisoning from this cause. 



