NELSON] BEGGING HOSPITALITY 295 



it. I asked liiin why he did not ask for it, as they lived near each 

 other in the same village. To this he replied that he could not, and 

 must wait for the man to bring the pistol back of his own accord. 



Begging is common only among those Eskimo who have had consider- 

 able intercourse with white men. This custom has evidently come about 

 through indiscriminate giving of presents. From St Michael south- 

 ward to the Yukon mouth, and thence up the river to Chukwhnk, the 

 people have had more dealings with white men than elsewhere in the 

 region covered by my travels. They were also the most persistent 

 beggars that I met, and in some villages were so importunate that they 

 fairly drove me away 



The people not accustomed to meeting white men were little addicted 

 to begging, and their manners were usually much more frank and 

 attractive. 



Hospitality is regarded as a duty among the Eskimo, so far as con- 

 cerns their own friends in the surrounding villages, and to strangers 

 in certain cases, as well as to all guests visiting the villages during 

 festivals. By the exercise of hospitality to their friends and the people 

 of neighboring villages their good will is retained and they are saved 

 from any evil influence to which they might otherwise be subjected. 

 Strangers are usually regarded with more or less suspicion, and in 

 ancient times were commonly put to death. 



During my sledge journeys among them 1 experienced a hospitable 

 reception at most of the places, but on a few occasions the people were 

 sullen and disobliging, apparently resenting my presence. At Cai)e 

 Nome and on Sledge island during a winter visit I found the people 

 extremely kind and hospitable. 



At the time of our arrival at Sledge island the inhabitants were so 

 destitute that their dogs had all died of starvation, and some of the 

 people were living upon scraps. Owing to the lack of food for our 

 dogs the trader and myself decided to return at once to the mainland, 

 but the headman and several of the other villagers surrounded us, 

 urging us to stay over two nights, in order that they might sliow their 

 appreciation of our visit, and assuring us at the same time that they 

 would find something for our dogs. 



True to his promise, the headman went out among the villagers and 

 the women soon came to us, bringing little fragments of seal meat, 

 blubber, and tish, so that we finally gathered enough food for our dogs. 

 We were shown to the best house in the place, and in the evening, when 

 we had unrolled our blankets, the headman asked if we wished to 

 sleep. When we replied that we did, he at once sent out all of the 

 people who had congregated there with the exception of the owners of 

 the house. 



Stopping on Sledge island at this time we found a number of King 

 islanders from farther north in Bering strait. They had come down the 

 coast, visiting at various villages in order to live upon the people, as 



