i 4 o HUNTERS OF THE GREAT NORTH 



platform, and the visitors would share with those members 

 of the family that slept on that platform. 



We did not commence eating until the fish were nearly 

 thawed, so that their flesh was not much harder than 

 typical ice cream. We ate as much as we liked of any 

 piece and then put the remainder back on the tray or into 

 another tray. Eskimos are careful that no food goes to 

 waste, but leaving half your piece means no waste, for 

 the dogs have to be fed and the leavings go to them. 



By seven o'clock every one is dressed and ready to go 

 about the day's work. Ovayuak himself was always the 

 first to go out to the fishing grounds. Certain members 

 of his family always followed. It was optional with visi- 

 tors whether they helped with the fishing but all of them 

 did unless they had something else to do. Had some one 

 refrained entirely from work of all sorts, I do not think 

 our host would have done anything about it, nor would 

 the rest of the community. But a lazy man is despised 

 by everybody, and what keeps anybody at work is not 

 the fear that he may be turned out of the house, but 

 rather the dread of a public opinion which would eventu- 

 ally give him a low rating in the community. Such low 

 rating would not be followed by any formal punishment, 

 but no Eskimo seems to be able to bear the disapproval 

 of his countrymen. This is one of the reasons why so 

 few of the uncivilized Eskimos are lazy. I judge from 

 my own experience that the stimulating climate is another 

 important reason. I often feel lazy in southern countries, 

 but I find activity a delight in the North. 



I used to go with Ovayuak to his fishing. We were on 

 on r> of the branches of the Mackenzie delta and the river 

 ice was at that time about three feet thick. I did not 

 understand very \vi 11 DOW to use an ice chisel and at first 



