DISPOSITION OF WESTERN ESKIMOS. 'J47 



explained the bad treatment they had received at the ship. In the 

 meantime the boat was laden, and the distribution of a little tobacco 

 left a momentary impression that we were angels. 



Their conjugal and parental affections are strong, the latter 

 especially, whilst the children are still young; but beyond the 

 sphere of their own family or hut they appear to have no regard. 

 The loss of a husband, a wife, or a child, makes no permanent dr. p 

 impression, unless the bereavement leaves them -destitute of the 

 comforts they have been accustomed to; indeed, it is iiut rare to 

 find a woman unable to give an accurate account of her children, in- 

 cluding the dead ; yet when their afflictions are brought to mind by 

 inquiry, the cheerful smile leaves the face to be replaced by a look 

 of sadness, and the tone of the voice becomes doleful. Under tin- 

 real or pretended influence of grief, acts of violence are sometimes 

 committed by the men, and thefts at the ship were occasionally said 

 to be prompted by domestic sorrows. Though thankful at times for 

 favours, they seldom offered any return, and gratitude beyond the 

 hour is not to be looked for. Perhaps it is not too much to say thai 

 a free and disinterested gift is totally unknown among them. On 

 making a present to a stranger, it was not uncommon to see him 

 put on a look of incredulity, and repeatedly ask if it were really a 

 gift. 



The} 7 vied with each other for a long time in pilfering from the 

 ship, whilst among themselves honesty seemed to prevail; but as 

 we came to know them better, and were able to detect delinquents, 

 our losses became fewer, and we learned that thefts from each 

 other were not unfrequent, so that we arrived at the very unsatis- 

 factory conclusion that it is the certainty of detection that prevents 

 theft. Many articles, such as spears and other implements, are left 

 exposed, and run no risk, as they would certainly bo recognized by 

 many others besides the owner ; but when food, oil, tobacco, or such 

 other things as would bo difficult to identify, are concerned, the 

 case is different. In the long passage leading to the winter hut, 

 many articles are kept which could be easily taken unknown to the 

 inmates: but during the day some neighbour would be sure to seo 

 the thief, or, if the deed were done in the night, his footmarks on 

 the snow would tell the tale. It is in the Btormy, dark nights the 

 Nu-wuk burglar goes his rounds, trusting to the Bnow-drift to ob- 

 literate his footsteps. His visits are not unprovided against, for a 

 trap is laid in most huts, not to catch the marauder, but to alarm 

 and drive him away. 'Ibis is affected by placing a board with a 

 large wooden vessel on it in such a position, thai both may fall on 

 the slightest touch, thereby making sufficienl noise to arouse the 



