188 VIKINGS OF TO-DAY 



was taken out hunting by the old man. Whilst 

 crossing a wide river on the ice, the son dropped 

 behind a step and blew the other's brains out. 



On one or two occasions they have combined to 

 attack the Moravian Brethren. Thus in Hebron, on 

 one occasion, they shut the missionaries up in their 

 house, not allowing them even to go and get water, 

 demanding that all the goods in the store should be 

 handed over to them. No resistance was made, ex- 

 cept that the store was kept locked. At the end 

 of three days, which the Brethren had spent in 

 prayer, conviction seized the Eskimo, and they came 

 and said they were very sorry. 



No stretch of imagination could call them an 

 -emotional people ; . some are almost fatalists, and all 

 are easily satisfied and careless of the morrow. One 

 day an Eskimo guide accompanied me out fishing. It 

 so happened that rain fell in great quantities, and as 

 he had left his skin " kossack," or jumper, at home, he 

 might reasonably have been expected to seek shelter 

 under one of the many rocks while I fished. Not so. 

 He remained seated all the time out in the rain as if 

 he were a mushroom. Late at night, after he had 

 gone home, he came off again in his- "kayak" to the 

 ship to see me. " My boy dead," he said. " Why 

 did you not tell me he was ill ? You knew we had 

 medicine." " No good ; must die," he replied. 



I went next morning to see the funeral. The 

 Moravians have taught them to bury beneath the 

 surface. A hole had been dug in the sandy ground ; 



