THE ESKIMO BABY 



boys, of course, they pet and pamper far more than 

 girls; the child nearly always gets its own way. 

 There is no such thing as punishment in an Eskimo 

 household, and very little frestraint ; and I am in- 

 clined to think that some part of the high death-rate 

 among the children, and especially the higher death- 

 rate among the little boys, is due to the laxity with 

 I which the parents allow their children to grow up 

 instead of wisely restraining them. 



Oh those children : the perky little rascals ! 



One day I was walking along the path that runs 

 in front of the houses, and I came upon a small boy 

 [clambering down among the rocks and hummocks 

 that strewed the beach. He was a sturdy little 

 fellow, and quite a baby. I judged him to be two 

 years old or so, certainly not more 'than three ; but 

 he was clad in the dignity of ridiculous little trousers, 

 so I must speak of him as a boy. He seemed to have 

 escaped from his mother, and to be making for the 

 i beach on an adventure of his own ; and when I looked 

 'towards the line of houses I saw a young woman 

 ! standing at one of the doors and calling to him. 



" Kaigit, kaigit " (come back), she shouted. 



The child took no notice at all. 



" Kaigit, ernera " (come back, my son), cried the 

 mother. 



This time the child looked round, but he went 

 'steadily on, barking his little knees against the sharp 

 points, and tumbling into holes in his hurry : " Nia, 

 nia," he screamed. I half expected the mother to 

 come and fetch him after that, for "Nia " is anything 

 but polite : it was the equal of a very defiant " Shan't " 

 that the child shouted at his mother. She took no 

 notice; she was beaten, and accepted the situation 



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