ESKIMO COUSINS 



chances of increase ; and so I urged them, through 

 the pages of their little newspaper (!) to widen their 

 circle by choosing wives from other villages, instead 

 of linking the families of each village closer and 

 closer to each other. This close relationship is one 

 of their drawbacks ; and yet, with all their obstacles 

 and all their drawbacks, they remain the masters of 

 the frightful difficulties that beset their life ; they are 

 the real hunters of the Labrador. 



Their endurance of cold and fatigue is far greater 

 than their power of withstanding bodily illness. 

 Accidents they can face ; their powers of repair after 

 injuries are truly marvellous ; but disease is another 

 thing. Their resisting power is low, and they are 

 soon prostrate ; and this, I suppose, is the way with 

 all the nature peoples. And yet their pluck is very 

 great. As long as an Eskimo feels really ill, or has 

 severe bodily pain, he looks, and is, very ill indeed ; 

 but when the actual feeling of pain or distress is 

 gone, he thinks that he is well again. It is partly 

 sheer pluck, partly native impatience. The practical 

 outcome is that an Eskimo invalid takes less care of 

 himself than a more civilised person would do. He 

 takes no notice of the onset of disease, but goes on 

 with his work until, from pain or weakness, he can 

 work no more. And he takes no notice of con- 

 valescence; he wants to be up and out and at his 

 hunting before he can properly stand on his feet. I 

 once went into a hut to see a young man who had in- 

 flammation of the lungs. He was very ill indeed, and 

 there was some doubt about his living through it ; his 

 friends sat watching him with great anxiety. Next 

 day I found the hut empty ! "Ah," thought I, " his 

 friends have moved him to another house ; " they have 



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