ESKIMO COUSINS 



" We agree," they said, " that the people ought not 

 to visit those sick with this catching sickness, and 

 the people will obey your words; but what about 

 relatives ? May they not visit their sick ones, the 

 sick ones of their own family, and bring them food 

 and make them happy ? " " It is reasonable," I 

 answered ; " an exception shall be made for relatives 

 who want to care for their sick ones: such people 

 may visit." The solemn deputation nodded their 

 heads, and withdrew to convey the decision to the 

 village. After that, whatever bedside I visited, 

 whatever house I entered, there I almost certainly 

 found Lizetta. 



" You ought not to be visiting here," I told her. 



" Oukagle (but no), you are wrong," said Lizetta, 

 taking up her defence with some warmth, " oukagle, 

 this is my kattangutiarsuk (little cousin)." Upon my 

 word, the whole village seemed to be Lizetta' s cousin ! 

 " Illale (but certainly) ; her mother married the cousin 

 of my mother " that was enough : it meant a proper 

 kattangutiarsuk. 



It was only that the keen-witted little woman had 

 bethought herself of her numberless relationships, and 

 was anxious to help in her own bright way ; for when 

 I thought the matter over, I could not fail to see 

 that most of the Eskimos must be related in some 

 way or other. They are only a small nation ; not 

 many more than a thousand, all told ; and for years 

 they have gone on, marrying and intermarrying, 

 until it is hard to find a family that cannot claim 

 kinship of a sort with the greater part of their 

 village. The Eskimos have little other prospect 

 than to go on in the same way, marrying their own 



distant relatives, and I think that this is against their 



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