NELSON] BEGGING——HOSPITALITY 295 
it. I asked him why he did not ask for it, as they lived near each 
other in the same village. To this he replied that he could not, and 
must wait for the man to bring the pistol back of his own accord, 
Begging is common only among those Eskimo who have had consider- 
able intercourse with white men. This custom has evidently come about 
through indiscriminate giving of presents. From St Michael south- 
ward to the Yukon mouth, and thence up the river to Chukwhitk, the 
people have had more dealings with white inen than elsewhere in the 
region covered by my travels. They were also the most persistent 
beggars that I met, and in some villages were so importunate that they 
fairly drove me away 
The people not accustomed to meeting white men were little addicted 
to begging, and their manners were usually much more frank and 
attractive. 
Hospitality is regarded as a duty among the Eskimo, so far as con- 
cerns their own friends in the surrounding villages, and to strangers 
in certain cases, as well as to all guests visiting the villages during 
festivals. By the exercise of hospitality to their friends and the people 
of neighboring villages their good will is retained and they are saved 
from any evil influence to which they might otherwise be subjected. 
Strangers are usually regarded with more or less suspicion, and in 
ancient times were commonly put to death. 
During my sledge journeys among them I experienced a hospitable 
reception at most of the places, but on a few occasions the people were 
sullen and disobliging, apparently resenting my presence. At Cape 
Nome and on Sledge island during a winter visit I found the people 
extremely kind and hospitable. 
At the time of our arrival at Sledge island the inhabitants were so 
destitute that their dogs had all died of starvation, and some of the 
people were living upon seraps. Owing to the lack of food for our 
dogs the trader and myself decided to return at once to the mainland, 
but the headman and several of the other villagers surrounded us, 
urging us to stay over two nights, in order that they might show their 
appreciation of our visit, and assuring us at the same time that they 
would find something for our dogs. 
True to his promise, the headman went out among the villagers and 
the women soon came to us, bringing little fragments of seal meat, 
blubber, and fish, so that we finally gathered enough food for our dogs. 
We were shown to the best house in the place, and in the evening, when 
we had unrolled our blankets, the headman asked if we wished to 
sleep. When we replied that we did, he at once sent out all of the 
people who had congregated there with the exception of the owners of 
the house. 
Stopping on Sledge island at this time we found a number of King 
islanders from farther north in Bering strait. They had come down the 
coast, visiting at various villages 1 order to live upon the people, as 
